Harry Potter 1. The first eleven years

Chapter one – The First Eleven Years

Hermione Granger could have been considered an odd child from the very moment she was born. Instead of bawling at the top her lungs like most newborns do, she simply cocked her head to one side and studied her mother and father intently, as if she were trying to work out something by staring deeply into her parents' eyes. She had an expression on her small red face that said, "Well hello, you must be my parents. What are you like, then? Why am I here? What's all this noise?" It was quite odd, indeed.

From then on, it became increasingly obvious to Hermione's parents that their daughter was different from other children. At only four and a half months old, Hermione could talk, and by the age of one she has forming coherent sentences. She was up and walking when she was seven months old, and most amazingly of all, she could read by the time she was only two years old. By the time Hermione went to nursery school, she had begun to read proper books by authors like Michael Morpurgo, whilst her peers were more interested in playtime and brightly-coloured toys than novels.

Despite Hermione's apparent genius, it could not be ignored that she also had many odd and unusual qualities as well. Her mother remembered looking out the window one morning, three years after Hermione was born and seeing a little sparrow sitting on her daughter's arm, chirruping merrily. Hermione was laughing sweetly at the bird, which didn't seem scared of her at all. There were other incidents as well her mother got a phone call one evening from Hermione's nursery school teacher, telling her that another boy at the nursery had been teasing Hermione about her flyaway hair. The boy had said that Hermione looked like she had a bird's nest perched on top of her head. The teacher had called to tell the Grangers that the boy had come out in a nasty rash immediately after the incident and that his parents were blaming the ailment on Hermione. The teacher could see in no way how they were connected, but just thought she had better warn Hermione's mother.

It wasn't until Hermione started primary school that she herself realized that she was different for another reason. She didn't have any friends. In all the books Hermione had read by that age, most of the characters had at least one friend. Hermione had none. Once she had realized this fact, she tried to make some. Instead of sitting on the playground with her nose in a book, Hermione marched up to a gathering of girls in her class and tried to join in their conversation. But something went wrong. Instead of listening to things she had to say and sharing their own opinions with her, the girls were scared of the long words she used, and mostly didn't understand the things Hermione said. They giggled and ran off without another word, leaving Hermione confused and bewildered as to what she had done wrong. The answer came to her that night as she lay in bed. To make friends, she realized, she had to try to be more like the other children she knew. The next day at lunchtime she joined in a game of hide and seek with the other girls from her class, but it all went wrong again. The girls very clearly did not want Hermione to play with them, and spent much of the game avoiding her—Hermione was left hiding all by herself for almost twenty minutes before she realized that she was not welcome.

From that day on, Hermione largely returned her attention to her favourite companions, her books. Every break and lunchtime she would lose herself in an adventure or be dazzled by some amazing fact while the children around her screeched and ran around at playtime.

But Hermione still wanted friends, despite the company of her books, so every now and again she would approach the girls in her class and join in with whatever they were playing, but time after time they wouldn't even try to throw the ball to her or wouldn't even bother tagging her. As Hermione got older she became more and more determined she decided that these girls would have to be her friend, whether they liked it or not, she would demand that they play with her properly and let her join in with everything. At first they laughed at her, but after a while they just grew tired of Hermione's nagging and told her firmly to leave.

Although Hermione loved lessons she already knew what the teachers were telling her and despite the fact they tried to handle such a gifted child her teachers soon found it difficult to know what to do with Hermione in lessons other than make sure they had enough spare questions for her to answer. As the years passed, Hermione's classmates became meaner and nastier. They laughed at her hair and her oversized front teeth. They called her names like Know-It-All and Teacher's Pet. No matter how many different ways Hermione tried to tell them they were wrong, or laugh with them in order to make new friends, nothing ever seemed to help her. She always seemed to end up alone in the girls' toilets, hiding from everyone.

When Hermione was eight or so, things began to happen that did not help her status as the odd girl out of her class. Once, a little girl called Primrose had called Hermione a name. A few moments later, a huge chunk of Primrose's hair fell from her head onto the ground, and the little girl had run away from Hermione in terror.

Not long after, a boy named George ended up with his trousers around his ankles when he told Hermione that she should go live in the circus. But the worst of all had to be when little Mickey Pearce had seen Hermione playing with a flower on the grass behind the Wendy house. Hermione was holding the flower before her, and then letting it drop to the ground. Much to the little boy's surprise however, the flower didn't just fall straight to the ground like it should. It danced and spun downward, as if caught in a whirling breeze, before landing neatly on Hermione's foot. This happened every single time Hermione would drop the flower. Mickey was so terrified by what he had seen that he leapt from his hiding place and began yelling all sorts of things at Hermione, who was very startled at his sudden appearance. Mickey continued to yell at her, telling Hermione that she should be locked up, that she shouldn't be allowed around normal people, that she was nothing but an ugly freak.

Hermione was more upset and angry than she had ever known, and opened her mouth to scream back at him. But the next thing she knew, Mickey was on the ground, yelling in pain as he clutched his stomach and sprayed sick all over the grass. The teachers had come running to find Hermione pressed up against the Wendy house hands pressed over her mouth, eyes wide in shock.

Hermione's teachers never knew what to make of all these odd incidents. From their point of view, Hermione was a very sweet-tempered girl who wouldn't hurt a fly, but all her classmates would insist that she caused these things to happen to them.

So Hermione went through her first ten and a half years with books as her only company, reviled as a freak by other children her own age. She avoided them as well, sure that if she did, she would only do something odd that would make them hate her more. She sat and waited patiently for the day when something great would happen to her, to finally allow her to just be normal.

Hey and welcome to Hermione's story, this is just a quick intro into the whole thing, thank you for reading this and please carry on

p.s sorry for any of my readers who have noticed that it disappeared for a while, then came back then went again then came back. I had one major edit then i noticed that i'd left Mrs Granger? Name? in there which i'd written down quickly so i didn't lose ideas and forgot to come back to. sorry!


	2. A Peculiar Visit

Chapter two – A Peculiar Visit 

Finally, to Hermione's intense relief, it was the last day of school. After this last year of primary school, she would have a nice relaxing summer holiday before starting at a grammar school thirty miles away from her old one. Being only just inside the catchment area, not many of Hermione's peers had applied to go to this school, and Hermione had been the only one to get in., Well, how could they have refused her when she had received full marks on the entrance exam? Hermione was looking forward to this new school. It would be a fresh start, and hopefully there would be people just as intelligent as she, who would understand her, maybe even be her friends.

The last week of school had not been fun for Hermione, instead of having regular lessons, the teachers had the children play games together in the classroom. At least when she was in class, Hermione had a good excuse not have to talk to anyone, but now she had to join in these stupid games and pretend to laugh at the immature jokes. But finally, it was the last day, and the whole class were playing 'splat', a game that involved making lots of weird noises and hand gestures in an attempt to stay in the game.

Hermione was bored and not really concentrating when Megan Speech managed to tag her out. Hermione sighed and went to sit down, happy for an excuse not to play anymore.

"What's up Granger, couldn't you just use your rabbit teeth as a shield?" yelled Mickey Pearce.

Hermione said nothing as the other children laughed at her. She stared defiantly forwards, noticing from the corner of her eye that the only person not laughing was Fiona Taylor. Fiona was the only person that never laughed at Hermione and never said anything mean to her. Hermione couldn't really call Fiona a friend; Fiona had her own friends who all hated Hermione, but it was nice to know that someone didn't think she was such a freak—or at least, she didn't say it if she did.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, the bell rang signalling the end of the day. Hermione smiled as she grabbed her bag and hurried out of the classroom while the rest of the class hung around to say goodbye. She almost skipped across the playground, swinging her bag in her hand happily.

"Hermione!"

Hermione turned to see who had called her. Squinting against the sunlight, she saw Fiona flying towards her.

"Hermione, wait up!" she called, skidding to a halt in front of Hermione, who said nothing, but crossed her arms and waited.

"I just wanted to say, congratulations for getting into the grammar," Fiona said very quickly. "They'd never say it, but I think everyone else is pretty jealous."

"Oh," said Hermione, taken aback. "Thank you."

"I also wanted to say that I'm really going to miss having you in the class, I can't imagine a lesson without you sticking your hand up a million different times," Fiona said. The way she laughed when she said it made the joke feel like a special one that just she and Hermione shared. Hermione smiled.

"Well, thanks, I guess," said Hermione awkwardly after a few moments.

Fiona laughed nicely again and suddenly hugged Hermione, fiercely wrapping her thin arms around Hermione's neck.

"You're going to have an amazing life Hermione, I just know it," Fiona told her. Then without another word she skipped off, sunlight dancing of her chestnut hair before she entered the school building again. Hermione smiled slowly to herself as she walked away, deciding that she would always try to remember Fiona's final words to her.

The first thing Hermione did when she got home was to clear away anything that was related to her primary school. Of course she didn't throw any of her books away, but she packed everything up in boxes, and then she got her father to put the boxes in the loft. She threw away her old school uniform; she would need a new one at the grammar. By the time she was done, her room looked almost new, with only her full bookshelves and her pictures of her family along the walls.

The next morning, Hermione headed down to the local library and returned laden down with three bulging bags of books to occupy her time over the summer. For the first few weeks of her holiday, Hermione spent every day turning page after page, drinking iced drinks and finding new things to amaze and astound her.

On the twenty fourth of July Hermione awoke to rain for the first time in well over a month, she lay in bed for a while listening to it before rolling over and grabbing her book. For half and hour Hermione sat back and read 'Tales of Greek Mythology' that she had picked up at the library. Although Hermione was astounded that there were once people who believed in these stories she liked the detailed descriptions of dragons, phoenixes and Chimerae. When she finished the chapter she walked downstairs to the kitchen to make herself breakfast.

As she ate her cereal in the kitchen she remembered that today was a Sunday, so Hermione's parents were at home. She could hear them moving around upstairs, as they got dressed. Hermione sat at the table, watching the rain beat down on the garden, wetting the browning, dehydrated grass and bringing the dusty flower bed to life. Hermione had always loved the sound of rainfall, and she adored the strange, thoughtful mood it seemed to put her in. It was quite beautiful.

That day, the Grangers had planned to go on a family bike ride to a nearby river for a picnic. The weather had obviously spoiled that plan, so instead they arranged a cards tournament. They had been doing this together on rainy days for as long as Hermione could remember. When she was small, her parents had gotten her started with endless games of snap and War. Now they would play games like and poker, using monopoly money as betting currency.

Hermione loved to play poker, because it required memorization, critical thinking, and the ability to read people, which of course Hermione was very good at. By lunchtime, Hermione had a large stack of Monopoly money next to her. Her mother, who was clever but had a very obvious tell that gave her away easily, was losing by a large amount. Mr. Granger father was winning, although not by any far stretch.

While they sat around the table, eating soup, they played go fish and laughed at each other's silly impressions and jokes. Hermione was having a very good time; she did love it when the three of them played together. Just as Hermione was about to have her turn the doorbell rang.

"I'll go," said her father, who had finished eating.

Hermione listened as her father walked down the hallway and opened the door. There were a few moments when all Hermione could hear was a stranger's voice speaking; she thought it might be a woman with an accent, but she couldn't tell for certain. Next she heard the door close with a snap and two sets of footsteps walking down the hall. Then her father appeared in the doorway.

"Susan, Hermione, this is Professor Minerva McGonagall, she here to talk to Hermione about school" said her father addressing Hermione and her mother.

As her father stepped into the room she saw the woman standing behind him. She was a tall woman with black hair tied into a tight bun at the back of her head. Her lips and square glasses perched on the bridge of her nose gave her a very sharp, stern appearance. She wore a smart green dress, black tights and shoes and carried in her hand a tartan umbrella.

"Good afternoon," she said, giving Hermione a sweeping glance before looking at Hermione's mother. She had a slight Scottish accent.

"Good afternoon" Both Hermione and her mother replied.

There was a short silence before Hermione's mother offered the woman the armchair opposite to the sofa were the three Grangers sat. She took it and looked the Grangers squarely in the eye.

"So you're a teacher at Claybrook you say?" asked Hermione's mother, giving the name of the grammar school Hermione would be attending this autumn.

"No Mrs Granger, I am a teacher at a different school, a school named Hogwarts, I've come because we are interested in offering Hermione a place there"

Hermione frowned at the stranger. "But, I didn't apply for a school called Hogwarts. Wouldn't I need to apply to receive a place at your school?"

The professor gave a small, thin smile. "At Hogwarts, our pupils come to us because they have…special abilities."

"But I don't have any special abilities," said Hermione. "Why do you want me?"

Professor McGonagall looked carefully at her for a few moments. "Miss Granger," she said slowly. "You are a witch."

Hermione sat very still while her mother made a slightly strangled laughing noise. "Is that some sort of insult? I don't understand…utter nonsense…"

"A witch," Hermione said quietly, staring at Professor McGonagall, this had to be some sort of strange joke someone was playing on her, or else this woman was out of her mind and had just happened to knock on their door.

"Yes, a witch," she answered. "Tell me, Miss Granger, have you ever made anything odd happen when you were experiencing a particularly strong emotion?"

Images of her former classmates flashed through Hermione's mind, All those accidents had happened when she was very angry. And what about all the nice things that had happened when she was happy? Animals that would come up to her if she desperately needed company, or the birds that would chirrup merrily on her arm when she was joyful. Even the flower. caught in the strange breeze that had made it dance. But she pushed all of this back quickly; It had all been coincidence or luck, or something…

Hermione looked back up warily at the stranger

"You don't believe me I see, even though I can tell odd things have happened to you" It was not a question, just a statement.

"Of course she doesn't believe you, what nonsense is this, witches? It's all utter madness" Mrs Granger laughed

Professor McGonagall nodded calmly and reached into a pocket in her dress. She withdrew a long stick, 13 inches perhaps, and made of a smooth, shiny wood. At one end it had a handle made out of the same polished wood.

"What is that?" Mrs. Granger demanded, pulling Hermione protectively close.

Without a word, Professor McGonagall pointed the stick at the pack of cards on the table, which began to float up into the air and shuffle themselves lazily.

"Oh, my," Mrs. Granger whispered.

Hermione couldn't say anything. She just stared at the pack of cards that was reminding her of something out of _Alice in Wonderland_. She glanced at her father who seemed to have been also rendered speechless.

Professor McGonagall lowered what Hermione could now assume was a magic wand, and the pack of cards floated back down to the tabletop.

"Well," said Professor McGonagall. "Shall we discuss Hermione's acceptance at Hogwarts?" she asked, looking between Mr. and Mrs. Granger.

"So you're a-a-a witch?" Stammered her mother

"Yes" Said professor McGonagall coolly

"And our Hermione can do what you do?" Asked her father, speaking for the first time since he entered the room.

"Hermione will be able to perform spells such as the one I just did, when she has been trained," Professor McGonagall said. "At the moment, her magic only shows itself when she's experiencing a strong emotion. At Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry we train children like Hermione to harness the magic that they have inside them and use it in their everyday lives," she explained.

"But we can't do it, we don't have…what Hermione has," Mr. Granger said.

"No, you don't, Hermione is a kind of witch known as a Muggleborn.. A Muggle is a non-magical being," Professor McGonagall added. "It is possible that generations back, you may have had a witch or wizard in the family and this is where Hermione has received her abilities, but no matter what, she is a witch. Being Muggleborn gives her no advantage or disadvantage."

There were several long moments of silence. Hermione was in complete shock, a witch! Her! She didn't see how it could be possible, yet what she had just seen in front of her was hard to argue against. Thousands of questions were buzzing around her head and it was impossible to pin one down and ask it.

"Would you like to know more about Hogwarts?" Professor McGonagall asked, noticing her anxiousness. Hermione nodded excitedly.

"Very well," Professor McGonagall said. "To use a Muggle phrase, Hogwarts is a boarding school. The students travel from London by train on September the first, and are welcome to either stay at the castle or travel home for Christmas and Easter. Should you choose to join us, Miss Granger, you will spend seven years at Hogwarts, and you will be Sorted into one of four Houses, each of which is named after one of our founders. Mr. and Mrs. Granger, you will be able to write to Hermione at any time via a school owl, which is the main way in which wizards and witches communicate with each other. During the first year, the courses include basic studies in Herbology, Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Flying, History of Magic, Potions, Transfiguration, and Astronomy."

"F-f-f-flying?" Mrs. Granger stammered.

"Yes, on a broomstick," Professor McGonagall answered. "This," she said, drawing from her pocket a piece of thick yellowing paper "is a Hermione acceptance letter and a list of all the equipment Hermione needs for school. Next to each one, I have written the shop in Diagon Alley where you may purchase each of these items. On a day of your choosing before September the first I will escort you to Diagon Alley. After that, I will leave you to purchase these items and make your way home."

All of the Grangers nodded mutely and Hermione accepted the list of items.

"Do you have any questions?" Professor McGonagall asked.

Hermione had a great many questions, but felt it would be rude to take up the professor's time. She chose just one that was bothering her especially.

"Will I use it forever? Magic, I mean, will I use it all through school and a job and everything?" she asked.

Professor McGonagall gave her another very small smile, so small Hermione wasn't sure whether she had imagined it or not.

"Yes, Miss Granger, you will," she said simply. Then she turned to Mr. and Mrs. Granger. "Shall we discuss plans to visit Diagon Alley?"

The Grangers agreed to meet Professor McGonagall at Euston Station on the second of August. Hermione's mother apologized for her rudeness, but Professor McGonagall insisted that she needn't worry, for it was not an uncommon reaction. And then, as suddenly as she arrived, Professor Minerva McGonagall was gone, and for the rest of the afternoon the Grangers remained quite bemused by the whole experience.

Hello again hope you enjoyed this chapter, it was fun to write! I'm going to give you a warning now that in a lot of chapters all the way through this story there are going to be some details which seem stupidly insignificant and pointless. Please keep going I'm not just rambling on. I've studied the Harry potter books a lot and one of my favourite things is the little hints and details J.K leaves which become really important later. Well that's kind of what i'm doing here, although the details may not become important to the plot line (as that's already written for me). They will become important in the story though i promise. Thanks for reading x


	3. The Dawn of a Journey

Chapter three – The Dawn of a Journey

Hermione had visited London only three times in her eleven years. Once with her grandparents on her sixth birthday, once with her school to see the national history museum and once with her parents last year when they were driving back from their holiday in the forest of Dean. Hermione remembered they had stopped off at Tottenham court road because Hermione said she was thirsty, they had then ended up spending most of the day in London seeing the sights. Today they arrived at Euston station, ten minuets before they were due to meet professor McGonagall. In Hermione's pocket were the acceptance letter and the list of equipment they needed to buy, now soft from Hermione unfolding it, reading it and re-folding it so many times. Her parents both bought cups of coffee at a small coffee shop and bought Hermione an iced smoothie. Whilst they were waiting Hermione got out, once again the equipment list and read;

UNIFORM - Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions  
>First-year students will require:<br>sets of plain work robes (black)  
>plain pointed hat (black) for day wear<br>pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)  
>winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)<br>Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags. 

COURSE BOOKS – Flourish and Blotts  
>All students should have a copy of each of the following:<br>The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)  
>by Miranda Goshawk<br>A History of Magic

by Bathilda Bagshot  
>Magical Theory<p>

by Adalbert Waffling  
>A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration<p>

by Emeric Switch  
>One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi<br>by Phyllida Spore  
>Magical Drafts and Potions<p>

by Arsenius Jigger  
>Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them<br>by Newt Scamander  
>The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection<br>by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT  
>1 wand - Ollivanders<br>1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) – Potage Cauldren shop  
>1 set glass or crystal phials - Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment<br>1 telescope - Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment  
>1 set brass scales - Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment<p>

Students may also bring and owl OR a cat OR a toad. - Magical Menagerie

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

Although Hermione had memorized the list the day it was given to her, she was still fascinated by the strange names ad titles, and what she had to wear, robes a pointed hat and a cloak! Hermione was still struggling to take it all in. After a little while she felt her mother tap her shoulder and looked up to see professor McGonagall standing a few metres in front of the bench she and her parents were occupying.

"Good Morning" Said Professor McGonagall crisply

"Good Morning" Replied the three Granger's standing up.

"I'm afraid we've got a bit of a walk, we're heading to Charing Cross Road"

Hermione and her parents nodded and the four of them set out down Melton Street

"Now would be a good time to ask any questions you have miss Granger, you won't see me again until you begin school after this" Said professor McGonagall looking down at Hermione.

Hermione hesitated, wanting to ask intelligent questions, but desperate to know even the smallest of details about magic. Finally she decided to ask a polite easy question first.

"What do you teach at Hogwarts, professor?"

Professor McGonagall looked slightly surprised at her question but answered it never the less. "I teach transfiguration Miss Granger"

Hermione had begun to speculate what transfiguration meant when she saw it written on her spell book list, she asked the next question tentatively, afraid that she may have guessed wrong.

"Is transfiguration changing one thing into another using magic?"

Again Professor McGonagall looked surprised

"Yes Miss Granger, that's exactly what transfiguration is, in your first year we begin changing one small object into another and then throughout the years the objects get progressively larger, until we move onto living things, small animals for example."

Hermione nodded, fascinated.

"And is it possible to transfigure humans into objects or animals professor?"

This time professor McGonagall looked so surprised she turned to face Hermione

"Are you sure you've grown up with muggles Miss Granger? You seem to have an awfully good understanding for someone who has known about magic for all of six days"

Hermione laughed "I'm just curious, and quite good at guessing"

Professor McGonagall nodded, looking impressed.

"Well then, in answer to your question, yes it is possible to transfigure humans into objects and other animals using very advanced spells, but it is also possible for witches and wizards to change at will to an animal of there choosing, but that is a very difficult area of magic that takes many, many years of training. The witch or wizard who learns this wouldn't need to use a spell but can simply change into the animal whenever the wish. These witches and wizards are called animagi. Due to its difficulty very few people chose to do this, in this century only seven people have become legal animagi."

Hermione was in awe, she imagined a person simply melting into another animal, then a thought occurred to her.

"Are you one of the seven Professor?"

"Yes Miss Granger, as a matter of fact I am, I can transform myself into a cat"

Hermione looked up at her new teacher, a huge respect already growing in her chest for her.

"Professor, do you keep your human thoughts and abilities when you're in animal form? Only if you turned into an animal completely, you wouldn't be able to get yourself back"

Professor McGonagall turned and, for the first time today, gave Hermione a small smile.

"Right again Miss Granger, in animal form the witch or wizard still keeps human knowledge, memories and emotions, however they gain the instincts of the animal which they have transformed to"

Hermione had been so absorbed in the conversation that she had failed to notice that they were now nearing Charing Cross Road.

"Professor, where exactly is Diagon Alley? If it's just a normal street don't muggles no about it?" Hermione asked

"Diagon Alley is accessible through a pub that only witches and wizards can see named the leaky cauldron. You will be able to see it yourself in a minute"

Hermione nodded, taking this new information in her stride as well. After a few more seconds Professor McGonagall stopped out side a small, grimy pub that was nestled in between a bookshop and a record shop. Hermione probably wouldn't have noticed it if Professor McGonagall hadn't shown it to her. Her parents then came to a stop beside them.

"Are we here? Surely you can't buy spell books in there" Said her mother nodding towards the book shop.

"No mum, we go through this pub to get to the place where you can buy all the supplies" explained Hermione

"What pub dear?" Asked her mother, looking bemusedly at Hermione

"That one" said Hermione, pointing behind her.

"Hermione that's a closed down shop"

"Mr and Mrs Granger, I'm afraid this may be rather a strange experience for you" interrupted Professor McGonagall "Miss Granger, if you could take your parents hands and follow me" she was now addressing Hermione.

Extremely confused Hermione grabbed her parents' hands and strode after Professor McGonagall. Her parents let out cries of refusal as Hermione dragged them through the doorway. Once inside, Hermione realised it wasn't just the outside of the pub that was grubby, the inside was dark and shadowy. It was however warm, and despite its darkness still gave off a homely, comforting feel. Inside were some of the strangest people Hermione had ever seen. People dressed in both colourful and dark….well Hermione could only guess that they were robes. People wearing oddly shaped hats, people with long beards and strange accents. It was fascinating for Hermione, but she couldn't stare for long as her attention was drawn back to her parents who were making spluttering noises.

"Mum, dad I really don't get…"

"Because of your parents being muggles Hermione, what they saw when they looked upon the pub was a broken-down shop, they could also see through the windows which showed them a desolate room, quite different to the one they have just stepped into, don't you think" Explained Professor McGonagall, standing beside her.

"This is getting to strange for me already" muttered her mother.

"Well believe me Mrs Granger, it will only become stranger form here on in" Said Professor McGonagall crisply before she strode off through the pub.

Once again Hermione hurried to catch up with her, her parents hot on her heels this time.

"Good morning Tom" said professor McGonagall to a bald man behind the bar, he smiled a toothless grin at her.

"Morning ma'am"

Professor McGonagall did not stop to chat as she continued to stride to the back of the pub and out into a small courtyard that was scattered with a few dustbins. Hermione watched as Professor McGonagall took out her wand and looked at the wall opposite the door they had just come through.

"Now remember this Miss Granger, from this bin" she pointed to the bin standing against the wall "three bricks up, two bricks across and three taps with your wand"

Hermione stared fascinated as the Professor McGonagall tapped the brick she had been pointing to three times with her wand, the brick began to move trembling slightly, then to Hermione's amazement a small hole appeared, before Hermione's eyes the whole widened, until it formed a stone archway. Beyond the archway Hermione could see a twisting cobbled street lined with brightly coloured shops. Hermione glanced back at her parents to see that both there mouths had dropped open in shock. Hermione then looked up at Professor McGonagall, who didn't seem at all shocked by the archway forming before her eyes, or by the Grangers dumbstruck faces.

"This is where I leave you" said Professor McGonagall turning to face the Granger's behind her "I would suggest the first thing you do is visit Gringotts bank at the end of the street, you will have to exchange your money for wizard currency. Here is your ticket for the train to Hogwarts Miss Granger" Now she handed Hermione another thick yellow envelope "Now listen carefully because this is important, your ticket says you leave from platform nine and three quarters, obviously this is also hidden from muggle views. To get to the platform you need to go to the barrier dividing platforms nine and ten and walk straight through it. Don't hesitate, just hold your parents hands and walk straight through, do you understand"

Hermione nodded quickly

"It's been a pleasure meeting you Miss Granger, I'll see you on September the first"

And after shaking Mr and Mrs Granger's hands she spun around and disappeared with a faint 'pop'. Hermione mother gave a shaky laugh and muttered

"Madness, utter madness"

There was a pause where none of the Granger's new quite what to do with themselves. Finally Hermione stepped out of the courtyard, through the archway and into the cobbled street of Diagon alley. She turned around to see that after her parents had stepped through the archway whet smoothly back to a brick wall.

"What's left Hermione?" asked her mother as they walked out of Flourish and Blotts, laden with twice as many books as the school list had required. As soon as Hermione had walked into the bookshop she was hooked. There tens of thousands of books all about magic, after finding all of her books from the list Hermione had poured over the shelves, looking at fascinating titles at itching to read the words inside. Hermione parents, amused at there daughters ferocious interest had said that Hermione could pick out a few extra books. Although Hermione had protested at first, worried about the cost of all the new things they were buying today her parents had insisted, saying they would have had to buy new things for whatever school she was going to, and that her birthday was soon. Hermione had quickly picked out Modern Magical History, Hogwarts: A History, The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, Jinxes for the Jinxed, Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Centaury and Important Modern Magical Discoveries. Now all three Granger's were sweating under the weight of the books and the summer heat.

"Just a wand, that's all" Answered Hermione "the list, says we can get that from Ollivanders"

So struggling with the vast amount of packages the three Grangers made there way down the street to were they could see the peeling, faded sign of Ollivanders. The bell tinkled softly as they walked into the shop that smelled strongly of dust. Already in the shop was a family of four, a mother and father, a young boy who could be no older than seven and a pink faced girl with blonde pigtails who was around the same age as Hermione. The family were just leaving as the Granger's arrived and although they nodded happily at the Hermione and her family, they regarded her parent's clothes curiously. This was not the first time that had occurred today, but Hermione stared back with just a big as interest at the parent's robes. As the bell tinkled on the door as the family left a soft voice spoke to them from one of the shadowy corners of the room.

"Good afternoon"

Before them a man appeared, he had pale, thin skin and his faced was lined, showing a vast age. He had white hair and large pale eyes and overall gave of the affect of being quite ghostly.

"Ah you're family have never bought a wand from here before, I would recognize your face" At this the old man looked past Hermione to her parents standing behind her "I see, you are a muggle born, what is your name?

"Hermione sir, Hermione Granger" Hermione answered timidly

"Well Hermione I am Mr Ollivander and today I will find you a suitable wand to begin your magical career"

He spoke as if he were reading from an old fashioned story book, and although Hermione was slightly intimidated by him, she was desperate to know more about wands, as they seemed to be the basis of most magic.

"Is every wand different then?" Asked Hermione, looking around at the thousands of boxes piled high around them.

"Yes Miss Granger, each wand is made a different length, from a different wood and with one of three cores; Phoenix feather, unicorn hair or dragon heartstring"

At this Mr and Mrs Granger blanched and Mrs Granger choked "Dragon!" at the same time Mr Granger said "Unicorn!"

Mr Ollivander nodded slowly, unfazed by the three Granger's amazement "Yes, yes, the wand chooses the wizard Miss Granger that is how magic is most powerful"

Hermione was now quite confused by the whole ordeal, how could a piece of wood chose it's owner. But now Mr Ollivander had gotten out a long tape measure with silver marking on.

"Your wand arm?" he asked

"Right?" Hermione said, unsure, she was right handed, was it the same?

Mr Ollivander nodded then began to measure Hermione, from different parts of the arm, to different parts of the leg, around the head, all sorts of places that Hermione felt sure had nothing to do with wands, the amazing thing was the tape measure was doing this all on it's own Mr Ollivander had wandered over to the shelves and had begun looking through boxes.

"I find that willow often favours muggleborns" Said Mr Ollivander opening the box he had just picked from the shelf and handing Hermione the wand inside " 9 inches, willow with a unicorn hair core…..well wave it then"

The tape measure had stopped now and Hermione, unsure of what would happen waved the wand through the air. Nothing happened. Mr Ollivander quickly took it from her.

"Perhaps not, right then lets try oak, seven and a half inches, phoenix tail feather" He handed Hermione another wand, again nothing happened when she waved it.

Mr Ollivander didn't seemed fazed though and kept thrusting wand after wand at Hermione, calling out there names each time. With each wand Hermione grew more and more worried, what if there wasn't a single wand that would work for her, what if Mr Ollivander just said 'sorry you can't be a witch then, goodbye!". Now he handed Hermione her fourteenth… no fifteenth wand.

"Vine, ten and three quarter inches with dragon heartstring core, a strong wand"

Hermione accepted the wand from him and immediately felt a slight warmth in the tips of her finger, intrigued Hermione made a swishing motion through the air and a stream of periwinkle-blue sparks flew from the tip of the wand, lighting the dusty shop momentarily in twinkling lights. Hermione parents gasped and Mr Ollivander called.

"Oh well done Miss Granger, well done, a good choice"

Hermione smiled as he took the wand from her and began to pack it into its box

"That will be seven galleons Miss Granger" Hermione nodded and her parents quickly took out the money and paid Mr Ollivander. Hermione thanked him and left the shop with her parents, feeling very pleased. She had all her school supplies and was practically jumping out of her skin to go home and read her books and perhaps try out some spells.

****

This chapter was fun to write, I wanted to make sure I really got Hermione's eagerness to the point of being annoying. Only a one or two more chapter (Haven't quite decided) until she meets Ron though so don't worry. Oh and did you know that Hermione wand is vine because in the Celtic calendar that's the wood based on her birth date! It's the same with Ron and Harry's, it's a connection J.K wanted them to have from the beginning!

Hannah x


	4. If At First

Chapter four - If At First

Hermione screwed up her brow in concentration and tried again.

"_caeruleum__flammula" _

This time there was a quick flicker of blue light before it disappeared to nothing. Hermione sighed angrily and looked down at the standard book of spells grade one which was lying open on her bed. She had pursued chapter one quickly and this spell had caught her eye, it seemed simple enough, she read the passage again.

_Caeruleum flammula is a useful spell that conjures as small, blue coloured flame that although does cause a heating affect can be picked up without causing any discomfort.__ The flames will not burn anything they touch and is relatively simple and is helpful for every day usage. The wand movement to go with the incantation is a quick, clockwise circular motion whilst clearly saying 'Care-ru-le-am fla-mu-la' _

Hermione nodded and said for the fourth time

"_caeruleum__flammula" _

This time to Hermione's shock a number of flames shot out of her wand and fell to her bed, where they burned merrily but didn't scorch her duvet. Hermione nearly whooped, her very first spell and she had mastered it in only four attempts! She looked again at the passage

'…_..can be picked up without causing any discomfort…'_

Hermione gulped as she reached out a hand to touch the flames, she could feel a warmth coming of them that wasn't nearly as hot as a regular flame but she was sure it may still hurt. Carefully she reached underneath the flame and picked it up. To her amazement it felt only slightly warm against her skin, like nothing more than picking up a sun-warmed rock. Hermione was delighted and looked around for somewhere she could put the flames that would look nice. On her window sill stood a jam jar that she had saved and had been planning to use to store all her pens and pencils that were at the moment rattling around in the draw of the desk. She quickly picked up the jam jar and as carefully as she could dropped the flames into it. There they burned happily. She put the jar back on the window and watched them for a few moments, proud of what she had achieved. Then she turned back to the standard book of spells on her bed.

OOO

Hermione's routine hadn't changed much from before she found out she was a witch, every morning she would go downstairs, eat breakfast before getting dressed and head outside to read. Only now she poured over spell books instead of normal ones. First she read all of her school books cover to cover, making sure to go back over anything she didn't understand and testing herself to see if she had memorized all of it. She hoped that learning all of this would bring her up to speed with her classmates who must already know quite a lot about magic, even if they had never used it before. Then Hermione began to read the extra books she had picked out. She had made sure to pick mostly history books as that was what children of wizarding families would already know a lot of.

She was simply amazed by the things she learnt as she read. The discoveries people had made, the fascinating history that her Hogwarts had and the Great War which had finished the year after she was born. That was the most interesting to read about, how an evil wizard by the name of Lord Voldermort (although the books stated that almost every wizard referred to him as 'you-know-who') had risen quickly to power, causing terror everywhere. How he had killed innocent people and especially wanted the magical world rid of muggleborns (this had Hermione quite worried) and then how he had suddenly vanished. Defeated, it seemed, by a boy barely one year old, a boy named Harry Potter. At this point none of the books could say how you-know-who had been vanquished, only that the killing curse, which had been aimed at Harry, had instead backfired of him. No-one knew whether he was really dead, or just too weak to carry on, but was out there, waiting to return. And no-one knew how Harry had survived the curse with only a lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead, only that he was the only person ever to do so.

OOO

Hermione couldn't remember most of the holidays, she only knew that before long it was her last full day she would have with her parents, and she realised she hadn't really spoken to them since the day at Diagon Alley. So for that one day Hermione put down her books and wand and the three Grangers went for a walk down to the river in the next village and sat and had a picnic together. Hermione savoured every moment that day because she knew that everything was going to change now. It had sunk in what going to a boarding school meant. It meant months without her parents, months without hearing her mother and father speak to her, months without her mum asking her if she had learnt anything knew today. Months without even seeing their faces.

* * *

><p>Hey guys, sorry this chapter is very short but the next chapter will definitely make up for, I already know it's going to be stupidly long! Also my exams are now over so you should expect a new chapter every few days! YAY. oh and thank you to spirited wind and lemonade summer for being giving extremely supportive and lovely reviews. You guys are great. Oh AND I've finally found the button that makes line breaks Hooray! sorry if that was annoying anyone, i know it was annoying me!<p>

Please review

Hannah xx


	5. Of Red Hair, Glasses and a Lost Toad

Chapter Five – Of Red Hair, Glasses and a Lost Toad

Hermione was standing completely still, staring at her trunk which was now full to bursting point. In it she had packed most of her normal clothes, all her new books and supplies and her Hogwarts robes, which were at the top of the trunk, ready to get changed into on the train. It was a beautiful summer's day and Hermione's window was thrown wide open, sending in the smell of freshly mown grass. Hermione now slowly turned around to survey her room, it had barely changed. Her bookcases were still all there, her desk with muggle stationary was still waiting neatly for someone to sit and do homework at it. The only differences were her empty wardrobe and chest of drawers and the empty spaces where some of her photographs had been, which were now packed in her trunk. Hermione sighed as she looked around the room that she loved. With its calming blue walls and traditional wooden furniture, Hermione had always felt safe in this room, especially with all of her books around her.

"Hermione,"

It was her mother standing in the doorway, Hermione hadn't heard her approach she had been so lost in thought.

"Are you ready dear, it's almost time?" She asked softly, stepping into the room.

Hermione nodded, did a final check of the to-pack list she had made and went to close her trunk.

"Are you not taking any of your books dear?"

Hermione turned to face her mother who was standing by her bookcase

"No, the other children won't read muggle books, I don't want them to think I'm odd, anyway they'll have a library at Hogwarts where I'll be able to read lots" Hermione said

Now her mother sighed and bent down slightly to pull two books from the bookcase. Hermione knew immediately what her mother had picked.

"At least take these two Hermione, if only so you can remember where you came from" She said pleadingly holding out the two books to her.

Hermione accepted and looked down at the faded covers of her two favourite reads. 'Pride and Prejudice' and 'The Winter's Tale'. The former was Hermione all time favourite book. She adored how realistic the love between Darcy and Elizabeth was and how it had been born out of friendship and hatred, unlike those pathetic fairy stories where a prince and princess only talk a few times before falling in love. The latter was Hermione favourite Shakespeare. Not only because the heroine carried her name, but because through the comedy of it you could see the physiological drama and underlying sadness of it all. Hermione turned away from her mother and packed them in her trunk, realizing that she shouldn't try to completely cut herself off from the muggle world. It was always going to be part of her.

"Ready to go Shakes?" It was her father now entering the room. He had called Hermione Shakes for as long as she could remember. It had come from Hermione's love of books from a young age. Her father had once said, when he realised how abnormally advanced his daughter was, that she would be reading Shakespeare by the time she was seven. Hermione had actually stuck to this and not only had understood Shakespeare but had enjoyed it a great amount, during one summer she had actually made her way through the complete works of Shakespeare. That tied with the fact that Hermione was named after a Shakespeare character had landed her with the nickname Shakes.

Hermione nodded and closed her trunk

"I'll be down in a minute,"

Her parents nodded, understanding she needed a few moments alone, her father took her trunk from her bed and they left the room. Hermione suddenly felt very young and afraid. She crossed the room to her window with shaking hands and looked at the view outside. The sky was a clear blue and a very slight breeze played with Hermione's hair as she watched her neighbour mowing his lawn. The smell of freshly mown grass overwhelmed Hermione's senses until she could notice nothing else. It was a beautiful clean smell filled with summer and new beginnings. Hermione realised as she stood there watching the familiar view, that this smell would always mean something to her. It would always mean new beginnings and amazing opportunities.

OOO

In the car on the way to the station the three Granger's listened to music. Hermione's parents both had a firm love for music and were always making mixed cassettes, or more recently CD's, of songs they loved to sing in the car. A brand new obsession which they had recently found was Take That, and although only a few songs by them had been released, it was them that dominated the car journey to Kings Cross station, along with many classic Granger family songs that Hermione had known the words to since she was a child. When they arrived at Kings Cross, Hermione was met with a flood of conflicting emotions. On one hand she wanted to stay comfortably in the car with her parents, singing songs and laughing, on the other hand she was desperate to start her knew life which she has read so much about. Before Hermione could sort through her battling feelings the three Grangers were standing in front of the barrier dividing platforms nine and ten.

"So we just…." Hermione's mother trailed off

"Walk straight through it" Said Hermione, faking confidence

Slightly terrified Hermione took her mother and father's hands, whilst her father tightened his grip on the trunk. Slowly Hermione began to walk forwards, shooting glances left and right to check no one was looking. She quickened her pace slightly as the very solid looking brick wall came closer and closer. They were going to just slam straight into it! Her mother moaned slightly before letting out a small scream as they reached the wall. Hermione clenched her eyes shut ready for the impact. But it didn't come. Instead she carried on walking, still with her parent's hands in hers.

"Bloody hell…." Gasped Hermione's father.

Hermione wrenched open her eyes and blinked several times to make sure what she was seeing was real. She was standing on a platform a sign overhead saying Hogwarts Express, eleven O'clock. A scarlet steam engine stood next to the platform and all around her people were moving about. Talking with parents, shouting to friends, checking trunks and animal cages. Hermione smiled, she had done it.

Her parents, who had been looking around in awe, now looked down at there daughter and smiled sadly, realizing it was time to say goodbye.

"I don't think we need to tell you to work hard Hermione, you've probably worked harder than most of these kids put together this summer, but remember to have fun, this is going to be an adventure ok, you have to enjoy it" said her mother stroking her hair.

"And if you hate it you can always come back home, there is nothing stopping you from coming back from going to a norm….. a muggle school" Her father said.

"You'll have to write to us first but we promise to write lots and lots, and we'll send along your birthday gifts and cards from all the family. Make sure to tell us all about the lessons and the teachers and the food and all the new friends you'll make and…." Mrs Granger had begun to cry a bit and Hermione felt a sharp pain in her chest as she watched her.

"Just be yourself Shakes, everything else will come when you do that" her father now spoke, gripping Hermione shoulder as he said the words.

A shrill whistle blew from somewhere on the platform and everyone surged towards the train. Children lent out of windows to kiss there mothers and fathers goodbye, whilst some parents yelled final reminders to there kids. Hermione's father carefully handed Hermione her trunk and bent down to kiss her.

"Good luck Shakes, you'll be brilliant"

Hermione's mother nodded and wrapped Hermione in a tight hug.

"I love you dear"

"I love you too mum"

Finally she let Hermione go and Hermione stepped aboard the train, she was one of the last on and the door was shut with a snap behind her. Hermione turned and looked at her parents as the train slowly began to move.

"I love you" She called back to them as she waved

She couldn't hear there reply over the noise of the train but she saw as they blew her kisses and waved frantically until Hermione could no longer see them. Hermione felt the pain in her chest grow slightly and her eyes began to prick with tears. She quickly turned around and grabbed her trunk from the floor where she had put it down to wave. She needed to change, and compose herself a bit. She found a toilet not far from the door and quickly took off the thin summer jacket she had been wearing and pulled on the long black robes, she had tried them on before and although she thought they were a bit odd, everyone would be wearing them so it wouldn't matter.

She looked at herself in the small, spotted mirror above the sink, her dark brown eyes looked back at her under her head of bushy, plain brown hair, she tried to smile to herself and saw her overlarge front teeth. Hermione sighed and left the toilets, dragging her trunk along behind her.

As she walked down the corridor she peered into different compartments, looking for somewhere to sit. She saw lots of different pupils, right up to ones who looked like adults but found it difficult to spot people her own age. Finally she came across a compartment where five girls her own age were seated, she slid open the compartment door

"Hello, is it alright if I sit with you?" She asked

The girls nodded and stopped whatever conversation they had been having as Hermione walked in, Hermione realised she recognized one of the girls. The red faced, blonde with pigtails from Ollivanders. Hermione smiled at her and the girl stood and helped Hermione heave her trunk into the luggage rack. Finally Hermione sat down and looked around at the girls. As well as the girl with pigtails, there was a girl with hair tied back in a long plait down her back, a girl with dark, wavy blonde hair and eyes that almost seemed purple in appearance and a pair of twins with dark skin and black hair. Hermione felt a flutter of nerves in her stomach s she watched them all, but she pushed them away.

"I'm Hermione Granger," She said breathlessly.

"Hannah Abbott," Said the nice girl with blonde pigtails

"I'm Lavender," said the girl with wavy blonde hair confidently, smiling at Hermione

"Susan Bones," The girl with the plait said quietly

"Parvati,"

"Padma," The two twins spoke one after the other, smiling kindly.

It was only know as they introduced themselves that Hermione noticed that they were all wearing normal clothes, she was the only one already wearing the Hogwarts uniform.

"Are you muggle born?" asked Hannah

Hermione looked at her curiously and she blushed, obviously thinking she had offended Hermione.

"Yes I am, are both your parents wizards?" Asked Hermione equally interested

"Yes, but one of my Grandmother's is a muggle, she's lovely," Hannah said smiling at Hermione.

Hermione smiled back just as the confident girl called, Lavender asked.

"So you didn't know anything about magic until this summer?" She sounded extremely shocked.

"No, I didn't, it was a bit of a surprise for my parents at the time, but I've been doing as much as I can to catch up with you all." Hermione informed them proudly.

The girl named Lavender seemed a bit bored now and quickly turned to the twins sitting next to her.

"Have you heard that Harry Potter may be coming to Hogwarts this year," She said excitedly.

One of the twins (Hermione wasn't sure which) sat up, looking eager.

"You mean to say he could be on the train right now?" She asked.

Lavender nodded importantly.

"Yes, he's in the same year as us, he'll definitely go into Gryffindor won't he?"

All of the girls in the carriage nodded agreeing with Lavender. Hermione thought this was rather odd.

"But surely it was just luck that saved him that night, not braveness. He was only one year old after all." Hermione reasoned.

Now everyone in the carriage was looking at her curiously.

"He defeated the most powerful, dark wizard ever, I think that probably secures you a place in Gryffindor." Said Lavender, she did not say this unkindly, more pityingly, she probably thought that Hermione was pretty clueless on the whole thing.

"Both his parents were in Gryffindor anyway," said Susan, finally speaking up.

"Do family's normally all go to the same house then?" asked Hermione, glancing at the twins.

"No it's not guaranteed, but it is common, for example, all the Weasley children have been in Gryffindor and there have been five of them so far."

Hermione had no idea who the Weasley's were but she nodded anyway, pretending she did. This plan to make a lot of friends already seemed to be crashing around her. She had changed into her uniform to early, disagreed with someone who was obviously going to be popular and was already having to pretend that she knew things she didn't. She had to turn this around. She remembered her mother had once said that people loved to be asked questions.

"So does anybody know how we get sorted into houses? I couldn't find it anywhere in Hogwarts: A History." She asked the carriage at large

To her surprise all the girls shook there heads.

"My brother refused to tell me after he got sorted," Said Lavender

"Yes so did my sister," Susan agreed

"Oh," said Hermione disappointed.

The more eager of the two twins was now sitting au fully in her seat.

"What do you think he'll look like, Harry Potter?" She asked, directing the question mostly at Lavender

"Well don't all the rumours say he looks exactly like his father?" she answered

"It's difficult to know, no-one seen him for years, he went to live with his muggle relatives didn't he." Hannah informed the carriage

Hermione was now getting steadily bored. She didn't want to talk about what a famous boy looked like, she would be much more interested in a conversation over how you-know-you was defeated by him, or what you-know-who could have wanted with a toddler. But the girls did not seem interested in that sort of thing. Hermione was itching to get one of her books out and sit and read calmly, but she so wanted to make friends so she would have to sit this out. Just then the compartment door slid open. A round faced boy, with dark hair stood there looking extremely sad.

"I'm sorry, but have any of you seen a toad anywhere,"

They all shook there heads. The boy looked as though he may burst into tears, he sniffed loudly and said

"Ok, if you see him then….."

Hermione felt very sorry for the boy, she imagined how it must be on your first day of school to lose your pet and then have to ask lots of people you had never met before where the toad was. She could see a few people outside laughing behind there hands at the boy.

"Would you like some help looking for him?" Hermione offered

The boy's face brightened immediately.

"Yes please," he said, nodding

Hermione sighed and got up, muttering a quick 'see you later' to the girls in the compartment. Once out in the corridor she offered that they each take one side of each carriage, halving the workload. Neville nodded and they both started to open compartment doors. Hermione politely, but slightly impatiently asking if anyone had seen a toad because Neville had lost one. The answer was the same every time, 'no'.

Soon the lunch trolley was rattling past them. Hermione had put a bit of change in her pocket and decided to but something small to keep her going. She had read that Hogwarts terms always started with a start-of-school feast, and she didn't want to ruin her appetite. However when she approached the trolley, she realised she had no idea what any of it was. Luckily the plump lady who pushed the trolley was very helpful, and had obviously met people like Hermione before. She recommended Hermione have a cauldron cake or two. Hermione accepted her advice and handed over a few bronze Knuts.

Soon Neville and Hermione had moved onto the next carriage down and were fruitlessly asking all the compartments again. Finally after another twenty minuets of Neville coming out of each compartment shaking his head, almost in tears, Hermione decided that they would ask compartments together. As Neville was probably just blubbering to whoever was in there and no one was really taking any notice of him. So Hermione walked back with Neville to the last compartment he had come out of and slid the door open. Barely looking around before asking she said.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one,"

It was only as she asked this that she looked at who she was addressing. There were only two boys in the compartment. A small black haired boy and a red haired boy holding a wand. The red haired boy looked as if he were about to do a spell.

"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said the boy

But Hermione wasn't listening, she was staring at the wand, 'this boy must come from a magic family, so he'll be able to do magic quite well' she thought to herself.

"Oh are you doing magic? Let's see it, then."

Hermione surprised herself by sitting straight down without asking permission, but she didn't care, she was about to see someone else do magic.

"Er – all right."

The boy looked Hermione in the eye for the first time and Hermione noticed the vast amount of freckles he had on this face and his calm blue eyes.

"Sunshine, daises, butter mellow,

Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow" He said waving his wand at the direction of a rat that was asleep on his lap.

Nothing happened. Hermione was disappointed, she had been expecting something to happen. Although she was also quite pleased, this meant she already knew magic, whereas this boy, who had probably grown up with witches and wizards, didn't.

"Are you sure that's a real spell." said Hermione. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard - I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough - I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you."

Hermione watched as the boys glanced at each other, looking worried.

"I'm Ron Weasley," muttered the red headed boy.

So the boy was part of the Weasley family that the girls had been talking about on the train, she wondered what would happen if he didn't get into Gryffindor.

"Harry Potter" Said the other boy.

Hermione looked at him more closely, so this was Harry Potter. She supposed she had expected someone…well a bit different looking if she was honest, not a skinny, short boy in clothes far to big for him.

"Are you really." said Hermione. "I know all about you, of course - I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in _Modern Magical History_ and _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_ and _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century._

Harry looked dazed as he said "Am i?"

Hermione was surprised, how could he not know that he was in history books?

"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in. I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad"

Hermione realised she had been talking far too long and that they still had to find Neville's toad.

"Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon." She said as a way of goodbye as she left the carriage.

"Should I go and change?" asked Neville tentatively to Hermione once they were outside in the corridor

Hermione sighed "Yes, but lets just check these last few compartments first"

So together Neville and Hermione asked the last few compartments if they had seen a toad anywhere, this time Hermione didn't linger to chat like she had with Harry and Ron. When they came to the end of the carriage Hermione said.

"Why don't you go and change Neville and I'll go and ask the driver how far away we are, that way we can work out if we have anymore searching time"

"Ok" said Neville, looking very upset at the thought of leaving the train without his toad.

Hermione quickly marched up to the front of the train and asked the driver how near they were to Hogwarts. He answered with a swift 'we'll be arriving very soon'

When Hermione reached the end carriage she found that lots of people were running around, screaming about a spider escaping, bumping in to each other and laughing as they pulled there Robes over there heads. Hermione hated the childishness of it and quickly located the carriage with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley in as an escape. When she entered she saw that the sweets the boys had been eating were strewn all over the floor and Ron was holding his rat by the tail and poking him.

"What has been going on?" she asked

Neither of the boys answered, instead Ron and Harry began to talk about a boy named Malfoy and his family. Hermione hated being ignored and annoyance flared inside of her at the two boys. Finally Ron turned to face her.

"Can we help you with something?" he asked sarcastically.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at how annoying this boy was being.

"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the driver, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!" Said Hermione, realising that the strewn sweets and talk of another boy may have meant a fight.

"Scabbers has been fighting not us, would you mind leaving while we change?" Ron said, scowling at Hermione

Hermione felt anger spark inside of her, but it was coupled with a slight sadness of how badly she was failing in making friends already.

"All right - I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," Said Hermione, she was annoyed at the boy and wanted to get him back in some way for being rude to her.

"You've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?" She said pointing to a smudge Ron's nose

And with that she left the compartment, swinging her hair around behind her, satisfied she had at least got the boy back. As she was walking back to her own compartment a voice echoed through the train.

"We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately." Hermione felt her stomach contract with nerves as she stopped walking and waited by the carriage door for the train to stop

OOO

Hermione was going to be sick, she felt as if her knees were made out of jelly and she couldn't stop biting her lip. Student after student got up and placed the hat on there head. And then finally

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione walked incredibly quickly to the hat, eager to both see what would happen, and for it to be over. She jammed the hat on her head as it was placed in her hand. She saw just the dark inside of the hat for a moment as it fell over her eyes before,

"oh, a muggle born I see, well, well, well I haven't seen this much mind power in a long time, that coupled with a determination to prove yourself….I think that makes in obvious which house to put you"

Hermione knew the hat was thinking of Ravenclaw, and although she did like the sound of them, there was a part of her that wanted to be known for something more than her cleverness.

"But there is also a startling amount of bravery and courage here, a quick temper and I can see the loyalty you feel for others. Hmmmmmmm this is difficult, although Ravenclaw would suit your talents, I think the best place for your personality is GRYFFINDOR!"

The hat shouted the last word and Hermione took off that hat, jumped up and almost skipped to the Gryffindor table, who were cheering for her loudly. She felt immensely proud and relieved, she had done it, she was really a Hogwarts student now.

OOO

On one side of Hermione sat Harry Potter, who was listening to the other Gryffindor first year boy's talk of ghosts and families. On her other side sat a prefect who had introduced himself as Percy Weasley – Hermione assumed he must be one of Ron's brothers. As Hermione chatted away happily to Percy about lessons and Hogwarts, the boys around her were devouring all the food in front of them. Just as Hermione had finished her main course, Ron reached around Harry to grab the dish of potatoes that was sitting just in front of her. As he did this Hermione smelt something quite odd, it was similar to the smell you get just after you blow a candle out, yet it was earthier in some way. Before Hermione could identify where the smell had come from, it had disappeared, and Hermione wondered as she lay in bed that night with her four new roommates; Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, Lucy Moore and Julia Harrison, whether she had just imagined it in her excitement of being in her new home.

* * *

><p>This has been my favourite chapter to write so far! Welcome to Hogwarts Hermione. In this chapter i have put 5 things that will become important to Hermione's story later. The most obscure of which being the Take That reference, which won't become important to Hermione until Order Of the Phoenix and again in Deatly Hallows. So i have a little competition for you - if you can guess why i have mentioned Take That in this chapter PM me and i will dedicate a chapter to you! (Open until i write the first chapter where you find out why Take That is important). Have fun guessing!<p>

Please Review

Hannah x


	6. An Unexpected Night

Chapter six – An unexpected night.

_Dear mum and dad_

_I am loving it here! I don't think I've ever had such an interesting, fun week. I'm sorry I haven't written to you until now but I've just been so busy! We get Friday afternoon's off so I took the chance to write you this letter as I figured it may be quite long. I never found out how we got sorted into our houses until we got there, but you'll never guess how they do it. They have a talking hat! I'm not joking, it can talk and see inside your head when you put it on. We had to sit in front of the whole school and the hat would speak to us, but so only we could hear. It considered for a while putting me in Ravenclaw (the house of 'wit and learning') But in the end it chose Gryffindor (the house of 'bravery and chivalry'), which is the house I wanted most. It was the one that Dumbledore himself was in._

_The castle is enormous, it has a hundred and forty two staircases (some of them move!), four towers and dungeons. I'm getting lost quite a lot but I'm slowly getting the hang of it, the prefects are helpful. I'm sharing a dormitory with four other girls named Lavender, Parvati, Julia and Lucy, they're all very nice and we get along quite well. The food here is amazing as well, we can have as much or as little as we want and it all tastes delicious._

_Most amazing of all though, are the lessons, I'll go through each of them in turn. Defence against the dark arts is taught by Professor Quirell, who tells some good stories. The lessons are interesting but I would like to learn some more spells. Herbology is very interesting to, it's taught by a witch called Professor Sprout, who is very nice. I told you that the plants we learn about aren't the same as muggle plants when I read it didn't I? Well it's quite amazing to find out what all these different plants do. History of magic is taught by a ghost, can you believe that! His name is Professor Binns, the lessons can be quite boring but I make sure to take note of everything. I like potions quite a lot, although the teacher is not very kind, his name is Professor Snape and he's head of Slytherin house so favours them in lessons. But I do enjoy learning what all the different ingredients do then following the instructions on the board. I suppose it's a bit like cooking. Astronomy is taught by Professor Sinistra who is very nice. We have to go to the highest tower on Wednesday night at midnight for the lesson, it's very fun having a lesson that late, and I do like watching the sky and learning the names of all stars and planets. Transfiguration is brilliant, Professor McGonagall is very stern but I like her lessons a lot. In our first lesson she had us turn matchsticks into needles and I was the only one who made any difference to mine, it went all silver and pointy. Professor McGonagall did seem pleased with me. Charms has to be favourite lesson, it's taught by Professor Flitwick, who is a great teacher. I get the hang of whatever he's teaching us straight away. After our first lesson I showed him some of the spells I learnt at home and he was very surprised at how good I was, he said that he could tell I was going to be an extremely good student and that I have a good magical career ahead of me. We haven't been set too much homework but I spend the evenings practising new spells or reading books from the library, which is enormous!_

_I haven't had a flying lesson yet, but I know it's on Tuesday. I'm very nervous, I got a book out of the library with flying tips in and I hope that will help me, I really don't want to fall off._

_There are more people who grew up with muggles than I thought there would be so I don't feel that different. Oh and do you remember me mentioning Harry Potter, the boy who defeated you-know-who when he was a baby? Well he's here at Hogwarts in my year and in Gryffindor, he's not like I expected, he's actually very quiet and shy and seems very eager to learn, he grew up with muggles as well._

_I hope everything's alright at home, I'm missing you lots, especially now I'm writing this. I hope your not lonely, just the two of you on your own. Give my love to everyone and tell them I'm looking forward to seeing them at Christmas._

_All my love_

_Hermione x_

Hermione put down her quill and read through the letter, it was very long but her mother had wanted to know everything, and Hermione enjoyed telling someone about her exiting week. Right now Hermione was sat at a window seat in the Gryffindor common room where she had been sat for the near hour it had taken her to write the letter. Now she looked out over the beautiful grounds, she would like to explore them properly, but she didn't have anyone to go with. Although Hermione hadn't mentioned it in the letter she hadn't really made any close friends, Parvati and Lavender had become best friends almost immediately and had disappeared after lunch to who-knows-where. The same could be said for Lucy and Julie. Although all four girls were nice and Hermione didn't mind chatting to them in the evenings, Hermione could tell she was never going to be great friends with them, she got bored of there conversations quite quickly, which seemed to be the same every day. So instead Hermione went up to her dormitory and fetched the Standard book of spells grade one. There weren't many people in the common room so no-one minded when Hermione began to practise spell after spell.

OOO

'Stick your right hand over the broom and say 'up!'" Called Madam Hooch

"Up" everyone shouted, including Hermione

Instead of her broom jumping straight into her hand like Harry Potter and few other's had, Hermione's simply rolled over.

"Up" she said again, more firmly this time

The broom made a small jump, but fell back to the ground. Hermione felt annoyance grow inside of her, over half the class had hold of there brooms now.

"Up" Hermione called for the third time.

This time the broom did jump into her waiting hand, Hermione frowned at the broom, why had it taken so long? Once everyone had hold of there broom Madam Hooch taught them how to mount them and grip them correctly. Hermione watched how gleeful Ron Weasley and Harry Potter were when Draco Malfoy from Slytherin was told he had been doing it wrong for years. The three of them obviously already hated each other, they had been saying spiteful things all week. Hermione nerves intensified when Madam Hooch told them they were going to try hovering, Hermione hadn't been expecting to leave the ground for a while! As Madam Hooch began to count down, Hermione felt a wave of nausea rise up in her, she really wasn't ready for this, she already hated the idea of flying through the air on nothing but a branch with a few twigs stuck on the end. But then just as Madam Hooch had said two Neville began to rise up, he had kicked of to early from being so frightened. Hermione watched, quite terrified as Neville rose higher and higher, with Madam Hooch calling for him to come back down and the Slytherins laughing at his scared face. And suddenly when he was about thirty five feet off the ground he looked at the ground far below him, gasped in fright and fell with thump and a horrid cracking sound to the ground. Madam Hooch hurried towards him and Hermione heard her mutter,

"Broken wrist. Come on boy, it's all right, up you get."

Then she turned to the rest of the class who were all standing in slight shock at Neville's terrible fall.

"None of you are to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those broomsticks where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch'. Come on, dear."

And she put her arm around Neville's shoulders and slowly walked him inside. As soon as they were out of ear shot Draco Malfoy burst into peals of laughter.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?"

Hermione felt a surge anger jolt through her, how could someone be so cruel? The rest of the Slytherins had now joined in laughing at Malfoy. Hermione could feel Parvati bristling with anger beside her as she burst out,

"Shut up, Malfoy"

The Slytherins just laughed harder and Pansy Parkinson, a friend of Draco's with dark hair and a slightly squashed up face screeched,

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom, never thought _you'd_ like fat little cry babies, Parvati."

Hermione turned to see Parvati narrow her eyes and shoot Pansy a deathly glare just as Malfoy said.

"Look!" he darted forwards to pluck something from the ground "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

He held the Remembrall up for the class to see.

"Give that here Malfoy"

It was Harry Potter who had spoken up, in a quiet but still powerful voice, the whole class turned to watch him and Malfoy, who was smirking at Harry.

"I think we'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to collect – how about – up a tree?"

"Give it _here!_" Harry yelled, anger bursting out of him.

But Malfoy had already taken off on his broomstick and was so easily hovering level with the top of an oak tree, grinning at Harry.

"Come and get it, Potter!" he called down, laughing

To Hermione's amazement Harry grabbed his broom from the ground, ready to ignore Madam Hooch's warning and leave the ground, despite the fact he had never even flown before!

"_No!_" Hermione shouted, reaching out an arm to try and stop him "Madam Hooch told us not to move – you'll get us all into trouble"

But Harry completely ignored her. He mounted his broom and kicked off hard from the ground. Hermione watched as he zoomed easily into the air as if he had been doing it for years, he shot sharply upwards and Hermione gasped at the same time as Ron Weasley whooped loudly in appreciation. Hermione felt another surge of anger.

"Don't encourage him" She shot at Ron.

He to ignored her as he watched Harry with fascination, Hermione turned her head upwards as well to catch parts of what Harry and Malfoy were saying.

"….Or I'll knock you off your broom"

"Oh yeah?"

Suddenly Harry shot at Malfoy with the speed of an arrow shot from a bow, Malfoy only managed to swerve out the way in time and Harry made a sharp turn to face him again and held the broom steady. Ron weasley, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan had all begun to clap. Hermione rolled her eyes and moaned quietly

"Oh stop it, we're going to be in such trouble"

Yet Hermione couldn't tear her eyes away as Harry began to yell at Malfoy again.

"No Crabbe and Goyle up hear to save your neck, Malfoy."

Malfoy seemed to consider this for a moment, and Hermione could see even from the ground that he knew what Harry was saying was true.

"Catch it if you can, then!" He shouted, throwing the rememberall high into the air before shooting down to the ground into the waiting arms of the Slytherins. Then everyone watched in horror as Harry sped to the ground in a nose dive, chasing the little glass ball. Girls began to scream as Harry came nearer and nearer to the ground, Hermione was certain he was going to crash, then barley a foot from the ground he reached out his hand and caught the ball, straightened his broom and gently flopped onto the grass.

"HARRY POTTER!"

Everyone turned to see Professor McGonagall hurrying towards them.

OOO

Hermione could not believe her eyes when she saw Harry sitting quiet happily in the Great Hall at dinner, if he wasn't expelled Hermione thought he would have at least got months of detentions, but he was obviously not in trouble as he, Ron and Ron's twin brothers Fred and George were all happily discussing something. As Hermione began to approach the table Fred and George left, to be replaced by Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. None of them saw as Hermione edged close enough to catch snippets of what they were saying to each other.

"…any time. Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only – no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizards duel before, I suppose? Malfoy was sneering

Hermione was shocked by what she was hearing, Malfoy wanted Harry to sneak out in the middle of the night and duel him! Surely Harry wouldn't be stupid enough to expect, Hermione had been so surprised she only caught the end of what Ron had answered back to Malfoy.

"…second, who's yours?"

Hermione almost yelled out NO right there and then, Ron was accepting Malfoy's idiotic challenge.

"Crabbe," Said Malfoy, still smirking at the boys "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room, that's always unlocked" Then he walked away.

Hermione watched, frozen in horror as Harry and Ron bent there heads together and began to talk, looking as if they hadn't just agreed to break over five school rules for no particular reason. Hermione realised what she had to do and marched over to the two boys.

"Excuse me," she said, hoping politeness would win the boys favour.

"Can't a person eat in this place?" said Ron, wheeling round to face her

Hermione ignored him as he was clearly just going to be rude and not listen to her. She spoke to Harry instead.

"I couldn't help hearing what you and Malfoy were saying…" She began

"Bet you could" Ron muttered, again Hermione ignored him

"…..and you _mustn't _go wandering around the school at night, think of all the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you."

Harry looked at her for a moment and then shrugged.

"And it's really none of your business," he said

"Goodbye" Ron said, before both boys turned back to there dinner.

Hermione felt anger boil inside of her, at both their stupidity and their rudeness. She simply couldn't believe it, after a few seconds of standing and fuming, she turned on her heel and marched to the other end of the Gryffindor table, a new plan forming in her mind.

OOO

Hermione went up to bed that night with the other girls and acted as if everything were perfectly ordinary. She brushed her teeth and hair, washed her face and changed into her Pyjamas as she normally did, then sat up for a short while, chatting with the girls as they normally did. Then slowly the girls began to drift off and Hermione sat with her bedside lamp on reading her book. She did this for a lot longer than normal, until eleven O'clock in fact. Then instead of going to sleep she pulled on her pink dressing gown and slowly made her way downstairs, book still in hand in case anyone was in the common room. Just as she was approaching the armchair nearest the portrait hole and voice came from beside the fire.

"Hermione?"

Hermione turned round to see it was Percy Weasley who had spoken.

"What are you doing down here so late Hermione, you went to bed hours ago didn't you?" He asked, more gently than Hermione expected.

"Well, I couldn't sleep you see and I thought maybe if I got out my room for a bit and read down here I would feel more tired" She said, in a voice slightly higher pitched than normal.

She thought Percy would see through her lie, but he just nodded slowly, looking exhausted.

"probably a good idea, I was just heading up, I had a lot of work to do, you know with OWL's this year" he said standing up "Don't stay to long Hermione"

"I won't, thank you" she said, relieved

As Percy walked across the common room, Hermione had a thought

"Percy!" she called

He turned around and looked at her, and Hermione changed her mind. She was sure she could stop the boys herself, there was no need to get them into serious trouble if she could change their minds, but now Percy was waiting for her to speak.

"Never mind, it can wait, goodnight" she said quickly, deciding that she would make something up tomorrow.

"Goodnight" he said turning to climb the stairs

Hermione settled herself in an armchair and put her wand in her lap. It was too dark to read so she quietly waited, idly turning her wand in her hands. Barely half and hour had past when she heard quiet footsteps behind her, then the shadowy shapes of the two boys came into view, almost at the portrait hole.

"I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry." She said, pointing her wand at the lamp so it flickered on.

They both spun round startled and upon seeing who it was Ron said furiously

"_You_! Go back to bed"

Hermione glared at him "I almost told your brother, Percy – he's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this." She said, placing her wand on the table where the lamp was.

Ron looked as if he were going to say something back but Harry just said quietly to Ron "Come on," and pushed open the portrait of the fat lady, both boys climbed though. Angry, Hermione leaped up from her seat and followed them.

"Don't you _care_ about Gryffindor, do you _only_ care about yourselves. _I _don't want Slytherin to win the House cup and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall about switching spells" She hissed

"Go away" Ron said, not even bothering to turn around.

"All right, but I warned you, you just remember what I said when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so….."

But Hermione stopped in shock before she could say 'idiotic'. The portrait of the Fat Lady was empty, meaning Hermione was locked out.

"Now what am I going to do?" She squealed

"That's your problem." Said Ron dismissively "We've got to go, we're going to be late."

Hermione watched as they began walking away from her, making her mind up on the spot and hurting after them.

"I'm coming with you." She said when she reached them.

"You are _not_." Said Ron, turning to face her

"D'you think I'm going to stand out here and wait for Filch to find me?" Hermione said "If he finds all three of us I'll tell him the truth, that I was trying to stop you and you can back me up"

"You've got some nerve…." Ron almost shouted

"Shut up the pair of you" Harry threw over his shoulder "I heard something"

And now Hermione could hear it to, it was a sort of snuffling sound. Hermione almost froze in horror, it was Mrs Norris, they were going to be caught. Ron seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

"Mrs Norris?" he breathed

But it wasn't Mrs Norris Hermione could see as she squinted through the darkness, it was Neville, curled up on the floor, fast asleep. As they crept closer he jerked awake.

"Thank goodness you found me! I've been out here for hours. I couldn't remember the new password to get in to bed" He said, relieved

"Keep your voice down Neville. The password's 'Pig snout', but it won't help you now, the Fat lady's gone off somewhere….how's your arm?" Said Harry

"Fine," Said Neville, holding it out for them to see. "Madam Pomfrey mended it in about a minute."

"Good – well look Neville we've got to be somewhere, we'll see you later….."

"Don't leave me" Said Neville, quickly scrambling up "I don't want to stay here alone, the Bloody Baron's been past twice already."

Ron looked down at his watch in annoyance then glared at Hermione and Neville

"If either of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learnt the Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about and use it on you"

Hermione opened her mouth to say they had been just as likely to get caught without her and Neville here but Harry hissed at her to be quiet and beckoned them all forward.

OOO

Hermione had never felt terror quiet like this. She had felt terror at her magical career being over before it had begun when they were running from Filch moments ago, but this was an ice cold fear for her life as she looked into the eyes of the monstrous three headed dog. Yet her logical mind still seemed to be working, and it was asking why such a horrid creature was sitting in a school. So Hermione, despite her terror glanced down at the dog's feet and saw what she had been looking for, a trapdoor. The dog was guarding something. And then quite suddenly Hermione was falling backwards as the door they had been leaning on was opened. She managed to catch herself just as Harry slammed the door shut. And then they all ran as if devil's themselves were snapping at their heels. Hermione had never run so fast and they had soon reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Where on earth have you been?" she asked, looking down at them

"Never mind that – Pig snout, pig snout" gasped Harry, the portrait swung open and they all scrambled in and collapsed into armchairs, gasping for breath. After a while Ron said.

"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that looked up in a school? If any dog needs exercise, that one does"

Hermione felt a huge surge of annoyance that they had dragged her into this and answered hotly.

"You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you? Didn't you see what it was standing on?"

"The floor" Harry suggested stupidly "I wasn't looking at its feet, I was to busy with its heads."

"No, _not _the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something." She said, standing up and glaring at them. "I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could have all been killed – or worse expelled. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to bed"

And with that Hermione marched across the common room and up the stairs to her dormitory, where she lay awake thinking about what she had seen for a long time.

* * *

><p>Another long chapter but I've decided that that's what i prefer to do. The main reason why i put the night time bit in was because of Harry's line 'shut up the pair of you' which is basically what he says year after year to Ron and Hermione even when they are friends. I hope you're enjoying this so far and please please please review and give constructive critsim because i take it all on board and it really does help me improve.<p>

Hannah x

P.s this is the re-uploaded version with the letter in italics so you can see the difference


	7. The Best and Worst of Days

Chapter seven – The Best and Worst of Days

_Dear Hermione_

_Thank you for your wonderful letter, we're both really glad you're getting along well at school, it sounds quite amazing. Are you really getting the hang of all the spells so quickly? We think it's very impressive for someone who has only known about magic for a month! So what else do you do in the evenings for fun? You say you practise your school work but do you do anything else, I don't know, do witches and wizards have different games to play? Have you made any friends yet? You said you get along well with the girls in your dormitory but do you spend all your time with them, would you say they're like best friends yet? Sorry I know I'm asking a lot of questions, your fathers telling me to stop, he says I'll overwhelm you!_

_How was your first flying lesson? I know sport has never really been your thing but it would be amazing if you enjoyed riding a broomstick, although it does sound dangerous! Me and your father are getting a bit lonely, we both keep calling to you when we walk in the door before realising you aren't here, but don't worry about us, it will just mean that when you get home we definitely won't run out of things to talk about._

_Keep working as you are and make sure to have fun. And your father says keep remembering to be yourself._

_All of our love_

_Mum and Dad xxx_

Hermione read the letter with a smile, glad that her parents were okay. She wished she could tell them in her next letter about the dog, but that would scare them to much. She was slightly annoyed that her mother had noticed from her letter that she hadn't made any close friends, she had been hoping that wouldn't come up, but she decided that in her next letter she would just skate over that part. Hermione had an uneventful rest of the week, apart from refusing to speak to Harry and Ron it was much the same as the week before, with Hermione becoming even more deeply fascinated by what she was leaning in lessons. However she awoke in the middle of her third week of Hogwarts to find a small pile of presents and envelopes and the foot of her bed. Hermione had been so immersed in her studies that she had almost forgotten it was her birthday on the 19th. The other girls in the dormitory had noticed the presents when they awoke as well.

"Hermione, is it your Birthday?" asked Paravti

"Yes." said Hermione reaching for the first envelope.

"Well why didn't you tell us? We would have got you a card or a little present!" Parvati said, seeming quiet upset.

"I don't know, don't worry though it don't mind, really" Hermione smiled reassuringly at Parvati

The other girls had heard Parvati and Hermione's conversation and now calls of Happy Birthday filled the room.

"Thanks everyone" said Hermione, finally opening the card which had been in the first envelope.

_To Hermione_

_Happy Birthday, hope you're__ having a great time at boarding school_

_All our love and kisses_

_Gran and Gramps_

All together Hermione had got five birthday cards, which she put on her bedside table before turning her attention to her presents. She carefully unwrapped each one, the eyes of all the girls on her. The first present was from her one of her aunts, it was a patchwork blanket, with a note inside that said 'to brighten up your dormitory'. The next present was from her aunt and uncle who lived in Manchester, they had bought Hermione a blue and white striped skirt, which the rest of the girls in the dormitory seemed to quite like. The next two presents were attached and from her grandparents, one was a new muggle book which the girls in the dormitory were immediately fascinated by and a recipe book for making cupcakes, which made Hermione smile as there weren't exactly opportunities for cooking at Hogwarts. The last few presents were from her parents, first there were quite a few new jeans and tops, as Hermione was growing quite quickly at the moment. Then there was a very small beaded purple handbag, so small it could barely be called a handbag, more of a large drawstring purse and finally there were a set of five new books, three of them to do with charms and the other two, history books. With the books there was a funny note from her parents saying it had taken a long time to convince someone in the Leaky Cauldron to open the passageway for them. Hermione happily looked at all her new presents before changing into her new skirt, one of the tops from her parents, then throwing the robes over the top.

The rest of her birthday passed quiet uneventfully. Professor McGonagall wished her Happy Birthday as Hermione left transfiguration and when Hermione got to the common room that night Parvati, Lavender, Lucy and Julie handed her a homemade card with all there names inside. Hermione was very grateful and thanked them all. Although Hermione missed her parents more today than she had any other day, she decided that this year she had had quiet a good birthday and was happy as she fell asleep that night.

OOO

September passed quickly and Hermione had soon settled into a familiar routine, she was enjoying lessons immensely and the more they learnt the more exiting the lessons became. Homework was slowly mounting but Hermione coped with it easily and still had time to practise a lot of extra spells. In her letters to Hermione, her mother was sounding increasingly concerned that Hermione had not made any real friends, but every time Hermione wrote back she would either ignore the topic or drop in something funny one of the girls had said, so as to sound like Hermione spent a lot of time with them. She was still refusing to speak to Harry and Ron after the arrival of Harry's broomstick, which seemed to suit all of them, as Hermione had settled on the idea that both boys were actually quiet rude and inconsiderate. Most of Hermione's teachers seemed very pleased with her, and had gotten over there surprise at Hermione's advanced intelligence. It was actually quiet a surprise to Hermione when the end of October arrived, bringing with it the excitement of Halloween. Although she had never been a big fan of Halloween, Hermione soon got into the thrill of it that Hogwarts seemed to bring, with the promise of live bats and pumpkins as big as cart wheels.

The last class before lunch was charms and today Professor Flitwick said they would be making objects fly. Hermione, along with the rest of the class, had been dying to give this a go since Professor Flitwick had made Neville's toad Trevor fly around the room. However Hermione had not tried it outside of the class as Professor Flitwick had said it could have some nasty consequences. But she had been practising both the movement and the words separately so she was feeling quietly confident. To Hermione's dismay when they were paired up she was put with Ron Weasley. Hermione watched for a while as Ron failed miserably at both the movement and the words, finally she could take it no longer.

"You're saying it wrong" She snapped to him "It's Wing-_gar_-dium Levi-_o_-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."

Ron turned to her, an ugly look on his freckled face "You do it, then, if you're so clever,"

Hermione rolled up her sleeves and took a deep breathe, hoping that it would go right the first time, whilst elegantly flicking her wand she said "_Wingardium Leviosar!_"

To her absolute delight the feather slowly rose off the desk and hovered around four feet above her head. Professor Flitwick looked delighted.

"Oh, well done! Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!"

Hermione filled with pride as the class turned to look at her feather. She had been the first one to succeed, most other people here had been raised by wizards and she, the muggle-born girl who had know about magic for all of three months had been the first one to successfully perform the spell. She practically glowed for the rest of the lesson as she sat back and watched Ron try time after time with no success. She felt a tad sorry for him by the end of the lesson when he still hadn't performed the spell, but didn't say anything as they walked out of the classroom. As she pushed her way through the crowded she was shunted right behind Ron and Harry just as Ron said.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her. She's a nightmare honestly."

Hermione felt something break inside of her and the happiness she had felt moments before evaporated quicker than she could have thought possible. Her throat was constricting and Hermione realised she had to get out of here before she broke down, but it was to late, hot tears were already spilling out of her eyes as she shoved past everyone in front of her, finally she found the girls bathroom at the end of the corridor and rushed into a cubicle, slamming the door behind her. She turned her back to the door she had just shut and slid down it, tears coming thick and fast and sobs racking her body.

It took a while for Hermione to realise why she was this upset over the comment, she had received similar comments before but hadn't cried this much in a long time. It was because Hermione had surrounded herself in this new world, barely realising that she had fallen into a very similar pattern as primary school, a pattern where books were her sole companion and she didn't really have anyone to talk to. Here she had fooled herself into believing she was happy because no one hated her, no one teased her openly and here there were people who actually liked her, she couldn't call them great friends but they didn't laugh at her or make cruel jokes about her. She had fooled herself into believing that she was perfectly happy and now a single cruel remark had made her see that she had, yet again, failed to make any real friends. Now memories were rushing back to Hermione along with the single line she had just heard repeated over and over.

"Circus freak, rabbit teeth, no wonder no one can stand her, have you got no friends Granger, weirdo, have you seen her hair, she's a nightmare honestly, you're nothing but a know-it-all, she shouldn't be allowed near normal people, such a teacher's pet, no one can stand her, she'll be marrying the books next, not pretty more like ugly, she's a nightmare honestly, is that a birds nest on your head, no one can stand her, freak, she's a nightmare, no one can stand her, nightmare, stand her, nightmare."

"Hermione?"

A quiet voice broke the onslaught of memories that had rendered Hermione immobile. Tears were still sliding down her face and she almost felt sick from crying for so long.

"Hermione I know that's you in there, please come out,"

Hermione recognized the voice now, it was Parvati.

"Leave me alone." She called, her voice sounding thick from crying for such a long time

"Hermione come on, the feast is about to start, you wouldn't want to miss it," Parvati wheedled

"Go away," Hermione said, not caring how rude she was being

"At least tell me what's happened Hermione, none of us know, we thought something bad had happened to you because you missed the afternoons lessons."

Hermione sighed "Please Parvati, can you just leave me, I don't want to talk about it"

Now Hermione heard Parvati sigh and say with resignation "Ok, but Hermione…. Whatever's happened, it'll be alright eventually"

After a few seconds Hermione heard Parvati's footsteps out of the door. A few more tears slipped from Hermione's eyes, it wouldn't be alright, it would never be alright, because Hermione couldn't make friends. She didn't seem to have the ability, and this meant she would always be lonely. All she wanted was for someone, just one person, to accept her for who she was. Was it really to much to ask? She supposed it was, she supposed that she must be such a flawed person that no-one could accept her. Hermione had never hated herself more.

Hermione lost track of time again as she sat there, her tears had now dried up and she just felt hollow inside, she supposed at some point she would have to go back to her dormitory and it was probably best to do that whilst everyone was at the feast. Just as she was contemplating finally moving the door of the bathroom slammed loudly and she heard the key turn in the lock. She sat bolt upright in fright when a horrible stench reached she nose and she heard as odd sound, like something heavy being dragged across the floor. Slowly Hermione stood up and unbolted the door, what she saw in front of her would haunt her dreams for a long time, it was a troll, twelve feet tall holding a large club in his hand. Hermione screamed in terror, which was a mistake as it alerted the troll to her presence, she tripped over to the wall opposite the door to try to get around the troll but it just advanced towards her. Hermione had never been so terrified, her head felt faint and she wanted to be sick, her feet felt like they were glued to the floor even thought her brain was screaming for her to run, it didn't even cross her mind to reach for her wand, she could only shrink back against the wall as the troll lumbered towards her, knocking sinks off as it went.

There was a yell and a clatter and slowly the troll turned away from Hermione to Harry Potter. Harry Potter? What was he doing here? Hermione brain had jammed and she still couldn't move from where she crouched, terrified and confused. There was another yell and another clatter and the troll turned again to Ron Weasley, who also seemed to have appeared in the bathroom. Now, from somewhere very far away she heard a voice saying 'Come on, run, run' and a tugging on one of her arms. But Hermione couldn't tell who was saying it and whether there really was a tugging on her arm or whether she was imagining it, all she could see and smell and hear was the troll. And now the troll was spinning around wildly and howling and something was hanging from the back of its neck and Hermione was on the floor with no recollection of getting there. Then she heard something other than yells that she couldn't distinguish, something that snapped her out of her senseless terror.

"_Wingardium leviosar_!"

Hermione turned her head towards the noise, it was Ron Weasley. Ron who hadn't been able to perform that spell hours earlier, Ron who had called her a nightmare. He had made the troll's club rise up out of its hand and fall onto its head with a sickening crunch. Ron and Harry had come back for her. Ron had just saved her life. The troll fell with an almighty crash onto the floor and Harry, who had been attached to the back of its neck, slowly picked himself up. Hermione realised that her mouth could move and she asked quietly from the wall.

"Is it – dead?"

"I don't think so, I think it's just been knocked out." Said Harry, looking thoughtfully at the troll. He then bent down and pulled something out of the troll's nose, to Hermione's horror she realised it was Harry's wand and it was covered in a sticky grey mess.

"Urgh – troll bogies." He said and wiped it on the troll's trousers. Ron had still not moved from his position. Wand in the air, jaw slack.

There was a sudden slamming of doors and all three of their heads snapped around, Hermione realised what a racket the troll must have made and people were now coming to look for them. As soon as she realised this Professors McGonagall, Snape and Quirrell burst into the room. Quirrell nearly fainting at the sight of the troll in front of him. They stood for a moment looking utterly dumbstruck, then Professor Snape bent over to examine the troll and Professor McGonagall turned to glare at Harry and Ron, not noticing Hermione curled up against the opposite wall.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" She said furiously, her voice steely and her lips pressed thin and white "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

Hermione looked at the scene in front of her. Snape was watching Harry closely, Ron still stood with his wand pointed in the air and professor McGonagall looked as if she was ready to murder the two boys on the spot. With a sinking heart Hermione realised what she had to do, what was the right thing to do. Slowly on shaking legs, she stood up.

"Please, Professor McGonagall – they were looking for me."

All eyes turned to her and Professor McGonagall jumped as she realised Hermione was in the room. With a shaking voice she said,

"Miss Granger!"

Now Hermione sucked in air, hoping that she would be alright, hoping that she wouldn't be expelled. Her only comfort was that if she was expelled at least it would be because she was saving others from her fate.

"I went looking for the troll because I – I thought I could deal with it on my own – you know, because I've read all about them."

Hermione was now staring solidly at the floor, so that Professor McGonagall couldn't see the lie in her eyes. Dully she was aware of the clatter of a wand dropping to the floor.

"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead by now. Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived."

On the last sentence Hermione raised her head to look at Professor McGonagall who looked quite appalled at Hermione's statement and seemed to be struggling to find words.

"Well – in that case…..Miss Granger you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"

Hermione's eyes burned and she hung her head, ashamed of the way Professor McGonagall, who she had been working do hard to gain the respect of, was looking at her with a mixture of anger and disappointment. She also felt fear grip her insides at what was coming next, Hermione prayed that she wasn't about to be expelled after only eight weeks at Hogwarts.

"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this. I'm very disappointed in you. If you are not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor Tower. Students are finishing the feats in their houses."

Still processing what had been said Hermione left the bathroom and began walking back to Gryffindor Tower. It was difficult to control all the different emotions running through her. Relief at not being expelled. Sadness at Professor McGonagall's disappointment. Gratefulness to Ron and Harry for saving her life. Anger at losing five house points. It was all very difficult to get her head around. Before she knew it she was standing outside the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Pig's Snout," She said quietly, then entering the room.

It was packed and noisy but Hermione stood silently by the door, waiting for the two boys to return, to thank them for what they had done. She didn't have to wait for long, they were soon climbing through the portrait hole. They all stood awkwardly for a few moments before muttering 'thanks' at them same time and hurrying of to get plates. When they had all collected the food they wanted, which was a lot more than normal for Hermione as she had missed lunch, they found three unoccupied seats by the fire. At first the conversation was uncomfortable and slow, all of them filling there mouths with food so that they wouldn't have to talk. Then slowly it began to flow naturally, until two hours later, as the common room began to empty they were all laughing together, comments and jokes rolling off their tongues. Hermione fell asleep happy that night, pleased that she had found friends in the most unexpected way.

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><p>Hey guys, sorry for the longer wait than usual, i've had a busy week! i hope you liked this chapter. Thank you for all your reviews so far, please keep them coming i really love to read them.<p>

Hannah x


	8. Life

'whether by the big screen or by page, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home' - JK you are inspirational and this made me cry

p.s how exited is everyone for Deathly Hallows!

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><p>Chapter eight - Life<p>

_Dear Mum and Dad_

_I have some news that will please you mum, I have made two friends, two best friends really. There names are Ron Weasley and Harry Potter (as in the famous Harry Potter yes). They're great mum. I thought to make friends the people would have to be like me, smart and enjoy school lots, but Harry and Ron aren't the same as me! _

_Harry is clever enough and very sporty, he's the seeker of the Gryffindor quidditch team, it's the first time a first year has every made the house team in a centaury His first match is coming up soon and the boys from Harry's dormitory and I are making him a banner which says 'potter for president' on it, with a painting of the Gryffindor lion! _

_Ron is clever but doesn't really like learning so doesn't try very hard, but he can do well if he wants to. Dad you might be interested to know that he's amazing at chess! He can beat everyone he plays, including all of his brothers apparently (he has five older brothers!) I haven't tried against him yet and I'm not sure if I want to._

_They're both very funny but still both really nice. Mum you asked what I do in the evenings for fun and now I can tell you. Once I've done my homework I check over Harry and Ron's quickly to help them get better. Then we will as sit and talk, or sometimes Harry and Ron play chess, sometimes we all play exploding snap, a game like normal snap apart from the cards can explode spontaneously. It's all a lot of fun. Anyway, I'm still really enjoying lessons and all my teachers are still really pleased. Oh that reminds me, I've made another friend, Hagrid the Hogwarts grounds keeper. Harry and Ron were good friends with him already because he took Harry to Diagon Alley (because his aunt and uncle refused to tell him about magic and didn't want him to go to Hogwarts). And last weekend I came with them to see him, he's very nice and funny also, Harry really looks up to him._

_Anyway, hope that pleased you mum and I'm really looking forward to seeing both of you soon_

_All my love_

_Hermione x_

OOO

It was early evening when Mrs Granger screeched 'an owl' and splashed her tea onto the table in fright. Mr Granger sighed and went to the window to let the owl in, saying in an amused voice.

"When exactly are you planning on getting used to owls bringing the post, it happens at least once a week."

The handsome tawny landed on the table and held out its leg importantly. Mr Granger took the letter and broke off a bit of the biscuit he had been about to eat and gave it to the owl. It took it happily and then sat very still on the table, waiting for the Grangers to write a return letter back. Mr and Mrs Granger weren't sure exactly how the owls that came to there house new that they needed to stay at the Grangers until a reply was ready, but they accepted it along with everything else.

Mr Granger sat down to read the letter that was written in Hermione's neat script. As he read it he smiled and when he reached the end he let out a laugh before handing the letter to his recently recovered wife. She to read it with a smile, one that was ten times wider that her husbands and when she looked up she had a slight glisten of tears in her eyes.

"She's made friends," Mrs Granger said quietly

Mr Granger nodded "Not just any friends, two boys, fancy that."

"Not just any boys either, Harry Potter, even we know who he is." Said Mrs Granger, looking down at the letter again.

"Yes but I don't think she's made friends with him because he's famous,"

Mrs Granger looked aghast "Well of course not, although Hermione doesn't actually mention how she made friends with them, it doesn't seem like a gradual thing does it, it seems quite sudden,"

Mr Granger made a noise of agreement

"Well I suppose I'll just ask her in the reply," Said Mrs Granger, getting up to find a pen and paper.

Mr Granger smiled at his wife's back, knowing full well that if Hermione had avoided telling them in the original letter how she had made friends with the boys, she wasn't going to tell them just because her mother asked. For the first time in two and a half months, Mr Granger felt at peace with his only child being at a boarding school. She was doing excellently in her school work, the teachers were all pleased with her, she loved the castle and she had made friends. What more was there to ask for?

OOO

Hermione could tell she was changing, she'd only been a Hogwarts three months and she could tell she was different to how she had arrived. Not in looks, that was the same, still a brown, bushy mane of hair, still overly large front teeth that were slightly crooked, still brown eyes. No it wasn't her appearance that had changed, it was more subtle than that. It was how she acted and thought. The thing that had showed her the change most was her suspicions against professor Snape. She Hermione Granger, suspected a teacher of wrong doing! It was most bewildering to her, as she had always respected and admired teachers. There were other things as well, Hermione realised that she didn't mind breaking a few of the smaller school rules that weren't followed by a single pupil, just things like casting her bluebell flames to keep her, Ron and Harry warm, nothing that every other pupil in the school didn't do already.

Her habits were also changing, Hermione noticed that when she was getting ready in the mornings and evenings she quietly sang songs she knew from home, Hermione couldn't really sing but the songs reminded her of her parents and the muggle world. She also now took half a spoonful of sugar in her tea. At home her parents had taught her that sugar was bad and would rot her teeth so Hermione had had tea without, but now at Hogwarts she let herself have half a spoonful, which in her opinion made the tea much nicer.

It was the beginning of December and the Hogwarts grounds were now frozen solid in crisp frost that lasted all day. Peoples breathe rose in mists in front of them if they ventured outside and there was a slight feel of Christmas in the air. In the month since becoming friends with Ron and Harry, Hermione was enjoying Hogwarts even more, she was also on a mission to discover who Nicholas Flammel is and what he had to do with the philosophers stone. Hermione was aghast that so far the library hadn't been able to give her any answers and was determined if she searched hard enough she could find him.

One Tuesday evening a little way into December, Hermione sat in a comfortable armchair close to the fireplace and carefully finished off her transfiguration essay, it didn't have to be in until Friday but Hermione thought it best that she get it out the way, next to her in another armchair Ron sat with his chessboard on a small table beside him, dully moving the pieces around. This evening Harry was at quidditch practise, after winning his first match he was quite determined to win the second. Hermione finished her essay and put down her quill before quickly reading over what she had done.

"Do you want to play?"

Hermione's head snapped up and she turned to look at Ron, who had spoken to her.

"What?"

"Chess, do you want to play a game, you've finished your homework haven't you?" He was gesturing to the board beside him.

Hermione looked at the board, it would seem stupid to refuse his offer as she had indeed finished her homework, but she knew that Ron would beat her easily. Her father had tried to teach her chess on a few occasions and had failed quite miserably. Ron obviously saw her misgivings on her face.

"Do you know how to play?" He asked, smiling slightly

"Yes of course," Hermione snapped "I know all the rules and I know exactly what all the pieces do."

Ron laughed "But you don't know how to _play_,"

"Didn't I just say…."

"It's not the same thing," Ron interrupted, grabbing the small table and placing it in between their armchairs. "Chess isn't just knowing the rules, you've got to plan ahead and think about the consequences of every move you make, you have to see the whole board, not just the immediate pieces,"

Hermione's eyes widened as Ron spoke, although he said it as if he wasn't really concentrating, he sounded as if he were repeating it from a textbook. Yet Hermione could tell he hadn't memorized this speech, it was something he just knew.

"You're going to win," Hermione said faintly

"Probably," He said grinning "But you'll get better, I can show you."

And with that he moved his first pawn. Hermione sighed and dragged her armchair a bit closer before making her first move. In under ten minuets it was all over.

"I think that might be the best win I've ever had," Said Ron, rearranging the pieces with a grin

Hermione scowled "Well how can you work out every possibility of every move you can make every time, it's impossible!" She said, throwing up her arms

Ron laughed "I didn't mean it like that,"

"Well explain what you did mean then!" Said Hermione angrily

"Ok um…..oh I know" He said sitting up straighter, eyes bright "So you're the kind of person who likes to work out all the consequences of the different things you could say or do right,"

Hermione felt bewildered "What?"

"Well if you want to do something, you work out the consequences of that before deciding whether you should do it or not, don't you?"

Hermione understood what he was trying to say now. Ron was right she did do that! She hadn't even realised that she did that but now he said it she supposed she must do it subconsciously. It wasn't a bad thing though, she reasoned, just sensible.

"I suppose, but what has this got to do with…."

"shh in a minute" he interrupted "So when someone asks you for….advise lets say, you think of what their reaction would be and the consequences of all your different answers right?"

Hermione nodded slowly, not really understanding where this was going

"But you could say anything to them, but you don't, you could say 'I think you should eat a hundred Chocolate Frog's whilst wearing your underwear on your head' but you don't because your brain filters out the unnecessary stuff. The stuff that isn't needed for the conversation. It's the same with chess, you've got to filter out the possibilities that aren't necessary or very unlikely for your move or your future moves, do you see?"

Hermione sat back and considered what Ron had said. Strangely it did make sense; he had chosen an analogy that she could understand perfectly.

"Yes, I think so" she said

"It takes a long time to learn how to do all that though" Ron said

"I can imagine" Hermione said dryly

"Another game?" he asked

Hermione nodded, keen now to learn how to _play _chess. She imagined how shocked her dad would be when she got home and asked him to play against her.

When they had gotten into there second game, Hermione broke the concentrated silence.

"When did you learn?" She asked

"Chess? When I was seven I think, my dad taught it to me, he's taught everyone in the family."

"How did you get better that everyone else then?"

Ron was silent for a minute whilst he considered his next move. After moving one of his knights he said "Well there are two years in between me and Fred and George so I had dad to myself when they went to Hogwarts. Ginny wasn't really interested in chess, she would rather spend time with mum."

Hermione nodded "Ginny must be quite lonely now, after having brothers around her, her whole life,"

Ron smiled "Yeah, you should have seen her on the platform, crying her eyes out, mum must be driving her round the twist at home,"

"Were you close then?"

Ron seemed to consider this for a moment "I suppose, just because Bill and Charlie were always together being the eldest, then Percy, well he's always been a bit of a loner, then obviously Fred and George are best mates so I suppose we were quite close, although we argue all the time,"

"Yes but that's just what siblings do isn't it," Said Hermione sadly, suddenly becoming aware of how much she had always wanted a sibling

Ron looked up at her at the tone of her voice, before this he had been staring at the board.

"Did you get lonely, being an only child?" He asked

Hermione looked down at the board, not wanting Ron to see how upset she had become.

"Sometimes, I mean I could talk to mum and dad about anything, but it's not the same as having someone a similar age to you is it?" She said, moving her rook.

"No I suppose not, although I wouldn't recommend six siblings, it can be quite a big pain," Ron said, clearly trying to cheer Hermione up.

Hermione laughed and nodded "Yes, I can see that from you, Fred, George and Percy."

"Yeah, we do go on at each other quite a bit, checkmate by the way" He said smiling

Hermione let out an angry noise, although she hadn't done nearly as bad as last time. The rest of the evening passed in a similar fashion, Ron beating Hermione at chess and easy conversations flowing between them. After a while Harry made an appearance.

"What's going on?" He asked as he sat down in an armchair near to them.

"I found something Hermione can't do," Said Ron

"Shut up," Whined Hermione

Harry laughed and watched them finish a game, which didn't take long.

"Wow Hermione I think even I could beat you!" Snorted Harry

"Oh shut up both of you, I'll get better," Said Hermione confidently

"That's right, practise makes perfect and all that" Said Ron yawning

"I'm determined to beat you one day Ron Weasley." Hermione said

Harry laughed and Ron grinned. Hermione scowled at there lack of confidence in her, before she could retort Harry said.

"I'm going to bed, guys I'm tired,"

"I'll come too then," Said Ron leaning in to pack up the chess board

With that the three of them tidied up there mess and headed to there separate dormitories, Hermione realising just what a difference having good friends made to her evening.

OOO

Both Ron and Harry had signed to stay at Hogwarts during the Christmas break. Harry because he would rather be at the castle than with his Aunt and Uncle and Ron because his parents were going to visit his second eldest brother Charlie in Romania, where he worked with dragons. Hermione was sticking with her original plan to go home for Christmas like the majority of the school. She was looking forward to seeing her parents again very much.

December was passing quickly and the castle became more exited as Christmas approached. The corridors were festooned with holly and mistletoe and the Great Hall was decked out with no less that twelve giant Christmas tree's. Each one decorated slightly differently, whether it be magical snow or hundreds of candles. Hermione thought of her own home and her Christmas traditions. How they would go on a walk to collect Holly and other evergreens from the fields and they would all shop for a tree together, then decorate it with all the old decorations whilst drinking hot chocolate. She wondered whether her parents would wait until she got home to do all of that or decorate the house at the normal two weeks before Christmas.

Taking the opportunity of having access to the school owls Hermione had already ordered Harry and Ron's Christmas presents. As she hadn't been friends with them for that long she had decided that sweets would probably be best. Because Harry had started collecting Chocolate Frog cards she hard ordered him a large box of Chocolate Frogs and because she new Ron enjoyed the mystery of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Bean's she had gotten him a large box of them. The problem had come of how on earth to get it to them. She obviously couldn't post it the muggle way and she didn't want to give it to them before. Finally, three days before the end of term Hermione approached Professor McGonagall after class.

"Professor?" Hermione asked approaching her desk

Professor McGonagall put down her quill and looked up at Hermione.

"Yes Miss Granger," she said crisply

Hermione had been trying to please Professor McGonagall ever since the troll incident. It was difficult to tell how much success she had had in it but everything seemed to have gone back to normal.

"I was wondering if you could help me, you see I'm not sure how to get Christmas presents to people who are staying at the castle as I don't have an owl," Hermione went red as she spoke, thinking she must sound pathetic.

"Ah yes, Mr Weasley and Mr Potter are staying here aren't they," She said, Hermione brightened at how Professor McGonagall had noticed who she had made friends with, "well don't worry, all you need to do is leave the presents wrapped and labelled on your bed, the rest will be sorted out for you."

"Really?" Said Hermione, not believing it could be that simple.

"Yes, don't worry yourself Miss Granger." She said, picking up her quill again, Hermione took this as being dismissed.

"Thank you Professor,"

Hermione turned and was almost at the door when Professor McGonagall spoke again.

"Miss Granger?"

"Yes," said Hermione, turning

"Try to relax over the holidays, you're far ahead of the rest of the class at the moment, give your self a bit of a break" She said, giving one of her thin lipped smiles.

Hermione was a bit stunned at being told to not do work by a teacher, but she nodded never the less and answered.

"Yes Professor," Before leaving the classroom.

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><p>Hi guys. So I know this chapter is set over a long period of time but as I'm doing 8 years of her life I really can't write loads and loads about like every month.<p>

Ok so the tea bit is meant to symbolise her starting to break away from her parents in case that was a bit confusing.

Was my chess bit OK because like Hermione i have no idea about how chess works, i just know the rules and what the pieces do

Do you like the bit with Mr and Mrs Granger because i wasn't sure about putting it in, but i thought it might be nice

Oh and Thank you to Azaleana/Lindsay who wrote a lovely haiku as a review 3

Please review if you can i really appreciate it and will probably message you back to say a proper thank you

Hannah x


	9. Merry Christmas

This chapter is dedicated to Thanfiction, the amazing author of Dumbledore's Army and the Year of Darkness. he will probably never read my work as i am sure he is very busy but he is one of my absolute favourite authors on FanFiction. More will be explained in my authors note over why this chapter in particular in dedicated to him.

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><p>Chapter Nine – Merry Christmas<p>

"So I'll see you soon," Hermione said, smiling at the two boys.

The three of them were standing in the entrance of hall. Lessons had finished yesterday and at eleven o'clock today the train departed from Hogsmede station. Around them people stood waiting for the doors to open, a few of them, like Hermione, saying goodbye to people staying at Hogwarts over Christmas.

"Yes, have a good Christmas Hermione," said Harry

Ron nodded "Yeah, have a good time,"

"And you promise to both keep looking for Nicholas Flammel?" Hermione asked

Ron groaned "It would be you to set us homework over Christmas!"

"Do you not want to find out who he is, I'm going to look over all my books to see if there's any mention of him." Said Hermione crisply

Both boys grinned as Professor McGonagall called over the crowd

"The carriages are here, please don't all rush at once,"

Hermione looked at the boys and smiled "Merry Christmas" She said happily

"Merry Christmas Hermione," They chorused. Harry bent down and lifted up her trunk for her, handing her the handle. Hermione beamed a thanks and turned to go with a cheery wave. She was one of the last to leave the hall and as she passed the doors she called to Professor McGonagall.

"Merry Christmas Professor,"

Professor McGonagall nodded her head at Hermione and replied "Merry Christmas Miss Granger,"

Hermione walked down the steps, slipping slightly on the snow that had coated the ground since mid-December. The cold air bit at her nose so she pulled her scarf up higher over her face and climbed into the nearest carriage, which held a few other people who had stayed behind to say goodbyes. Ten minuets later she was aboard the train and searching for a compartment, like she had months before. After a short while she came across the girls in her dormitory sitting happily in a compartment of their own. Hermione slid open the door and smiled at the girls before heaving her trunk into the luggage rack with a helping hand from Parvati. She sat down with Lucy and Julie on her left, facing Lavender and Parvati. Tucking her legs underneath her she opened her copy of Hogwarts: A History and began to read. After about half an hour she was interrupted.

"Hermione?" It was Lavender

"Yes,"

There was a pause where Lavender glanced at Parvati, who raised her eyebrows slightly.

"What's Harry really like?" She asked quickly

Hermione was taken aback "What do you mean?"

"Well is he brave and heroic, or big-headed or….scared of everything, or anything like that?"

"No! No he's none of those things, well I mean I assume he's brave as he's in Gryffindor, but no he's just normal," Answered Hermione

"Does he remember You-know-who?" asked Julie, who had been playing exploding snap with Lucy, in a hushed voice

"I haven't asked him, that would be horribly rude!" Said Hermione, quite aghast

Julie looked a little disappointed.

"What about Ron, what's he like?" Chipped in Lucy

"Again, quite normal." Said Hermione, beginning to get annoyed now.

"Which one do you like?" Asked lavender

"I like both of them of course," snapped Hermione

Lavender shrieked with laughter, Julie and Lucy snorted and even Parvati looked like she was trying to stop a grin.

"What?" Asked an exasperated Hermione

"You misunderstood," said Lavender, still shaking. "I meant which one do you _like_?"

"Wha – oh neither, they're both just friends!" Said Hermione

"Oh come on, you hang around with two boys all day and you don't have a little crush on either of them?" Wheedled Lavender

"Yes, Not the famous Harry Potter?" said Julie

"Or the cute Ron Weasley," Said Lucy

"No! They're my friends, I wouldn't…..I mean I don't….I….NO." Hermione yelled the last bit.

All the girls looked a little shocked at Hermione's outburst. Lavender said in a small voice.

"We were only messing around Hermione,"

"Well it wasn't very funny," Said Hermione standing up with her book and sweeping out of the compartment. Angry that they had all ganged up on her like that.

Once out in the corridor Hermione swept along, looking for a compartment that held people she knew, finally towards the end of the carriage she came across a compartment filled with Neville, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan and two boys that Hermione was pretty sure were called Micheal Corner and Terry Boot. Sliding open the door Hermione asked timidly.

"Would you mind if I sat in here,"

The boys all shook there heads and a few of them smiled at her. Hermione smiled quickly back and sat down opposite Neville opening her book again and beginning to read. Around her Micheal and Terry spoke quietly about different lessons whilst Dean and Seamus were much more rowdy in their conversation. Neville would occasionally chip in with comments but mostly kept quiet, staring out of the window. A few hours passed before the lunch trolley rolled up to the door. Hermione selected a few things to keep her going until she got home, where her mum had promised in her last letter to cook Hermione her favourite meal, a chicken and ham pie. The boys however, all took mountains of sweets and ate them greedily around her. Hours more passed and Hermione's eyes began to grow tired from reading for so long. When the five minute announcement came Hermione got up to collect her trunk. Saying goodbye and wishing all the boys a Merry Christmas.

When she reached the compartment door she felt apprehensive, not really wanting to see the girls again, but she didn't have a choice so she slid open the door and stepped inside. All the girls immediately turned to look at her and fell silent. It was Lucy who spoke first.

"Hermione, we're really sorry about earlier, we were just curious about someone being friends with boys and I guess we got a bit carried away,"

"Yeah, we didn't mean to upset you," said Julie timidly.

"Sorry Hermione," Chorused Lavender and Parvati sadly.

Hermione felt satisfied with their apology and believed that they hadn't been doing it just to be cruel to her.

"That's ok, thank you." She said as she reached up for her trunk.

"Are you doing anything in particular over Christmas?" Parvati asked gently

Hermione shook her head "No, staying at home and seeing family, that's all,"

As she finished her sentence the train came to a halt and everyone moved towards the doorway. Heaving their trunk Hermione and the girls got swept out the train and onto the platform, where a wizened old guard was letting them through the barrier in twos and threes. After a lot of jostling Hermione, Parvati and Lavender stepped through the barrier back into the muggle world, where parents were milling around waiting for there children. It was then that Hermione heard it.

"Hermione, Hermione!"

It was her mother's voice calling over the crowds, it was then Hermione realised just how much she had missed it, the written word could only go so far in satisfying how much she had missed her parents. With a quick 'Merry Christmas' to the girls Hermione quickly weaved through the crowds until she spotted her parents, who were waving frantically at her. Hermione drank in the sight of them and half ran towards them, landing in their outstretched arms, her trunk clattering to the floor behind her.

After a while they let go of each other, but her mother held her at arms length and stared deeply at her.

"You've grown," she said quietly

Her father walked behind them and picked up Hermione's trunk.

"Shall we go home?" He asked softly

Hermione nodded and linked arms with her mother, walking through Kings Cross and out to where the car was parked. Here no snow lay on the ground and the air was slightly warmer than it had been in Scotland. The Grangers packed into the car and her father held up a CD to show Hermione.

"Recognize this Shakes?"

"The Christmas album!" Said Hermione excitedly

Her father nodded and slid the CD into the slot. Soon Christmas music was merrily filling the car and the three Grangers sang loudly as they drove home. Hermione leaned back and felt at home, of course the castle was beautiful and that also felt like a home, but not like this moment, sitting in the car with her parents, just being themselves. In what felt like no time, they arrived back and Hermione's heart leaped at the sight of her house. She rushed to leave the car and get inside and her mother laughed at her eagerness as she opened the door. Hermione stepped over the threshold and breathed in the familiar smell of home.

"There are no Christmas decorations up," She said to her parents as she looked around.

"No, we wanted to wait for you, we'll spend tomorrow putting them up and buying a tree," Said her mother

Hermione followed her parents into the kitchen where her mother put the kettle on and they all sat round the table.

"So tell us all about it then!" Burst out her mother

Hermione's father laughed and Hermione launched into repeating what she had already told her parents in her letters home, but in much finer detail. Hermione barely noticed when her cup of tea was replaced with her mother's handmade pie as she talked about lessons, the castle and Ron and Harry until she was slightly hoarse. It was only when her father glanced at his watch that Hermione's mother realised how late it had got and screeched that Hermione must go to bed as she had had a very long day. Hermione loved collapsing into her bed that night, feeling totally at peace.

OOO

The next few days were a blur of Christmas festivities and catching up with her parents and before Hermione knew it, she had awoken on Christmas morning. As she had every Christmas she could remember she ran downstairs to the tree in her sitting room where presents from family where piled high. Then, as she had for the last few Christmases she went to the kitchen to make tea for her parents and herself before bringing them up to her parents to help wake them up. Ten minuets later all three Grangers sat in the living room with cups of tea, still wearing their pyjamas.

"So you're just opening the ones from us this morning, alright Hermione," said her mother

"Yes mum," Hermione laughed, her mother said the same thing year after year.

Hermione began to carefully unwrap the presents from her parents, making sure not to rip the wrapping paper too badly. Twenty minuets later Hermione was surrounded by new books, fiction and non-fiction, a few more items of clothing, a couple of different sugar free sweets and some new stationary. Hermione thanked her parents with hugs before handing them there presents. For her mother she had made a photo album dating back to when Hermione was born from an old box of photos she had found earlier in the week and she had bought her father a new book he had wanted. Just as her father was thanking her, Mrs Granger shrieked.

"An owl!" and pointed at the window.

"She does that every time," said Mr Granger in an undertone as Hermione walked to open the window.

"Hedwig," She said happily and she quickly opened the window.

Hedwig swooped gracefully into the room and landed on the coffee table. Tied to her leg was a large package. Crossing the room Hermione bent down to retrieve it, inside were two wrapped presents, and one card. Hermione opened the card first and read,

_To Hermione_

_Merry Christmas, hope you're having a good time at home,_

_From_

_Ron and Harry_

Hermione smiled and passed the card to her mother before turning to the presents. She selected the smaller of the two first and unwrapped it, inside was a bag containing one of a lot of different types of sweets. There was one Chocolate frog, one liquorice wand, one cauldron cake and many others. A note on top said.

_Thought your parents might want to try a little bit of everything_

_Harry._

Now Hermione turned her attention to the next present, inside was a large box of handmade fudge with the note on top.

_Made by my mum, I hope that's ok_

_Ron_

Hermione opened the box and tried a bit of the fudge, which was very tasty. Her parents frowned at the amount of sugar Hermione had been sent but after Hermione promised not to eat it all at once they both tried little bits of the different sweets, laughing at the strange flavours. After a quick breakfast they all headed upstairs to change into clothing, Hermione donning a new woolly dress she had received. By early afternoon Hermione's aunt and uncle who lived in Manchester and her grandparents had arrived. Hermione's other grandparents, the ones on her mum's side, had both passed away when Hermione was seven and her other aunt, who lived alone, was seeing other family. As she had for many years, Hermione helped her mother in the kitchen cooking the Christmas dinner whilst the others stood around chatting merrily. At three o'clock an enormous dinner of turkey with all the trimmings sat in front of them and Hermione's family all sat and pulled crackers, donning the colourful hats within.

Hours later still they all sat around the Christmas tree, swapping presents and jokes alike. Her grandparents fell asleep in front of the fire as they did every year and the rest of the family played games like charades, until finally, overcome with tiredness they managed to drag themselves upstairs where they promptly fell into a deep sleep.

OOO

Hermione couldn't decide whether the Christmas holidays passing quickly was a good thing or a bad thing. On one hand, she wanted to get back to Hogwarts and carry on learning spells, and searching for Flammel. On the other she wanted to stay with her parents, just talking and laughing and being together again. Together the Grangers crammed three months worth of excursions and treats into two weeks; they went ice skating, to a few small scale concerts and to see the local Christmas pantomime. But they also did the most normal things as well, they played card games and drank tea together and Hermione managed to play a whole twenty minuets of chess before her father beat her.

"I don't know what this Ron Weasley's done Shakes, but I can't believe quite how much you've improved in chess! Does he give you nightly lessons or something?"

Hermione laughed "No, he just gets how to explain chess to me. He comes up with ways of explaining that are easy for me individually to understand,"

Mr Granger frowned "Does he now, so he could beat me at a game of chess could he?"

Hermione looked up into her father's clever face, adorned with his thick framed spectacles he wore for reading, writing and chess playing. She had absolutely no idea who win a game held between her father and Ron. "I'm not sure, I really can't tell whose better,"

"Well maybe one day I'll play him," He said, setting up the board again. "What about this Harry then, is he a chess wizard to?" Her father chuckled at his turn of phrase.

"No, but he's still a lot better than me,"

"Not hard Shakes!" Laughed her father

Hermione kicked him under the table they were playing at.

"Sorry, sorry, So explain again what a seeker does in…Quidetch…..Quiddith…"

"Quidditch dad," And Hermione launched again into the details of a seekers job in a game of Quidditch. A game which Hermione's parents found the thought of immensely terrifying.

OOO

And then it was over, the Grangers were back at platform nine and three quarters for the train that left at eleven o'clock, around them hundreds of families stood, saying there goodbyes.

"So you don't think you'll be coming home for Easter honey?" Asked her mother, with a slightly quivering lip.

"I don't think so mum, I have to revise for the end of year exams and at home I won't have enough books to do that,"

"Are you sure you're ready to be away from home for six months though?"

Hermione sighed and looked up into her mothers face, truth be told she really didn't know how she would manage a whole six months away from her parents, but there was no way she could revise for her exams at home, it would be impossible. So Hermione just nodded bravely as the first whistle blew. Mrs Granger flung herself at her daughter and hung onto her tightly until Mr granger placed a hand on her shoulder and she let go.

"See you Shakes," He said leaning down and kissing Hermione on the head.

"Bye, I love you both," Said Hermione picking up her trunk.

"We love you too sweetie," Mrs Granger said in a wavering voice. "Oh and say hello to Ron and Harry for us,"

Hermione nodded and reluctantly turned around and walked towards the train, turning round at the door to give her parents a final wave before boarding. As she was walking down the corridor the train began to move, leaving Hermione's parents on the platform.

The ride was uneventful. Hermione sat again with Lucy, Julie, Parvati and Lavender who after a few questions about her holiday left Hermione to sit and read her book. The crowd that walked into the entrance hall was a lot more subdued than the one who had left it two and a half weeks ago. They had arrived just in time for dinner, which was a normal affair instead of a feast. When Hermione walked into the hall it wasn't difficult to locate Harry and Ron and the rest of the Weasley family sitting on the Gryffindor table. Hermione smiled as they made room for her in between the two of them whilst the rest of the school all found seats up and down the long tables.

"How was your holiday then?" Asked Harry, whilst pouring peas onto his plate.

"Lovely, mum, dad and I did all sorts together, it was really nice to see them. Oh and they say hello to both of you by the way,"

"Did you get the presents all right? Oh and thanks for the sweets," Said Ron pilling mashed potato onto his already loaded plate.

"Yes Hedwig got there fine, thank you for all of it, my parents found most of the stuff hilarious" Hermione said, mostly to Harry "And my mum adored the fudge, she says she wants the recipe, although she did wonder if it was possible to make sugar-free fudge" Hermione now said turning to Ron.

The boys laughed and began to eat in earnest.

"How was it here then?" Hermione asked

"Fantastic," Harry enthused through a mouthful of food "The food was amazing and we had a snowball fight and…."

"And Harry got the coolest Christmas present ever!" Ron interrupted

"Did you?" Said Hermione, turning to Harry

Harry looked warily around the table before leaning in so that only Hermione and Ron could here what he was saying.

"I don't know who it was from, the note only said it was my fathers originally, but it was an invisibility cloak,"

Hermione gasped, Harry had got an invisibility cloak!

"But they're so rare and so…"

"Valuable? That's exactly what Ron said," Interrupted Harry

"And the note didn't say who it was from!" Said Hermione incredulously

"No, it just said 'use it well'," Replied Harry

"And have you used it?" Asked Hermione eagerly

At this point Ron and Harry exchanged a look, Ron raised his eyebrows and inclined his head towards Hermione, whilst Harry seemed to slump. Hermione wondered what an earth could have happened. Finally Ron spoke up.

"Harry went out with the cloak on Christmas night,"

Hermione narrowed her eyes, "When you say night…."

"Yes, after curfew," Said Harry dully

"After curfew! If Filch had caught you…."

"He was invisible Hermione," Said Ron

"That's not the point, think what could have happened if…"

"Do you want to know what he found" Ron interrupted her for the second time

Hermione sighed, torn between curiosity and annoyance, "Go on,"

"Well, at first I went to the library to look in the restricted section for Flammel," Said Harry quietly.

Hermione lightened a bit, at least he had been trying to do some good.

"But I accidentally opened a book that shrieked really loudly so I ran for it because I could hear Filch coming,"

Hermione gasped and had 'I told you so' on the tip of her tongue, but Harry was soldiering on.

"So I ended up in this old classroom that isn't used any more and in it was this huge old fashioned mirror, so I went to look in it and…I saw my parents,"

"You, you what?" breathed Hermione

"Well not just my parents, my whole family standing around me, not doing anything, just smiling at me, so I stood there for ages until I realised I had to go back,"

Hermione eyebrows had firmly knitted together and she had long ago abandoned the food on her plate.

"But, what was it, I don't understand,"

"I'll get to that bit," Said Harry calmly "So the next night I took Ron with me and we expected that he would be able to see my family as well, or all of his family or something,"

Hermione nodded.

"But when I stood in front of the mirror," Began Ron, Hermione swivelled to face him. "I saw myself as Head boy and Quidditch captain, holding the house cup and the Quidditch cup,"

Hermione was now firmly confused.

"So when we got back I told Harry not to go again because I had a bad feeling about the mirror," finished Ron

"And you shouldn't have been wondering the corridors at night anyway; you could have so easily been caught!" Said Hermione turning back to face Harry.

"That's actually what Ron said as well," muttered Harry

"Good." Said Hermione firmly.

"But he went back anyway" Ron Said

Hermione clenched her jaw but let Harry finish the story,

"So yeah, I went back again and whilst I was this time, Dumbledore was there,"

"WHAT," screeched Hermione, loudly enough that people turned to look. "Sorry, but what" Hermione now whispered.

"Yeah, he didn't tell me off or anything, he told me that the mirror was called the Mirror of Erised and that what it actually does is show your hearts desire. And then he said the mirror was going to be moved and told me not to look for it again because 'it does not do well to dwell on dreams and forget to live'," Finished Harry, using air quotes on the last part

"Yeah and he was right, you've been having strange dreams ever since," Said Ron.

Harry scowled at him across Hermione.

"And that was all, he didn't give you detention or take any house points for sneaking out of bed!" exclaimed Hermione.

"No, nothing," Harry said.

"Wow, and this mirror sounds amazing, telling you what your hearts desire is," breathed Hermione

She thought briefly about what each of the boys had seen. Harry had never even known his family so he saw himself with them, that was obvious why it was his hearts desire. Ron's was more difficult to work out. Why would Ron, who always thought Percy being a prefect was stupid, want to be head boy? Hermione looked up the table to where Fred, George and Percy sat, then thought of Bill and Charlie, both prefects and one a head boy and the other a Quidditch captain and realised. He felt overshadowed; he had five older brothers to compete with because, really to most people he was just known as 'the youngest Weasley boy'. Hermione had never thought of how hard that must be on him and thought it was no wonder he wanted to be known as his own person by beating all of his brothers. The Hermione realised something else.

"Hold on, even though you've had two and a half weeks and this cloak, you haven't found out about Flammel, have you?"

* * *

><p>Hey everyone, this was a long chapter!<p>

So i'm now going to dedicate every single chapter i do to a reviewer/an author/a character on an actor from HP. This chapter is dedicated to Thanfiction because this is the first chapter I mention Michael Corner and Terry Boot. If you have read Dumbledore's Army and the Year of Darkness you will know about these two characters. If you haven't then I implore you to go and read it, it is my favourite fanfiction I have ever read. Basically ThanFiction developed these two characters into two beautiful people who feature heavily in the story, he has also written a lot of one-shots about them. I won't give much more away but if you read it you will understand why I have fallen in love with them and why they may keep cropping up.

This was the first chapter where Harry,Ron and Hermione all have a proper conversation together. YAY! So i hope you enjoyed that.

Please review or drop me a line in any why as i appreciate it so much and i will answer everything.

Oh and thanks to SpiritedWind for the idea of a little bit of drama with the girls, i hope you enjoyed that as well

Hannah x


	10. Friendship

This chapter is dedicated to Daniel Radcliffe, as it is his Birthday today (the 23rd of July). In the words of Emma Watson "Dan you didn't get lucky, you were and are the perfect Harry and will be forever," I'm not sure if I believe this 100%. But Dan you played Harry very well for 10 years of your life and for that, you deserve this dedication. Happy Birthday xx

* * *

><p>Chapter Ten – Friendship<p>

Term started to the snow on the ground melting away when sheets of icy rain began to pummel the ground. The corridors were still deathly cold and it was normal practise for students to walk around wearing scarves, gloves and even hats in between lessons. On the first day of term Hermione dragged Harry and Ron to the library after lessons to search for Flamel. Although Hermione was fast giving up hope that he could be located in the Hogwarts library, which was extremely disappointing. After an hour of Ron and Harry's moans Hermione let them leave whilst she checked out a new reading book. This time Hermione wanted something to do with potions as the last book she had got out was a herbology book and she was now interested in seeing the plants mentioned used in different ways. She also wondered whether she should get a book that mentioned alchemy as well, as that seemed to relate to potions. She slowly made her way to the right section, drinking in the sight of all the books as she went. Hermione had grown to firmly love the Hogwarts library with its old fashioned oak bookcases and leather bound, age spotted books. The whole library smelt of parchment and old books and there were lots of tables scattered around in corners with desk lamps for people to work at.

When she arrived in the vast potions section Hermione put down her bag and began to idly search the shelves. An enormous book on one of the lower shelves caught her eye. She bent down and heaved the book out. It was about a foot and a half tall, a foot wide and easily had over two thousand pages. It was very old so that the binding was beginning to crack and the pages were faded and spotted. Hermione squinted at the spine to see spindly gold letters spelling out '_Alchemy, Ancient Art and Science_' By Argo Pyrites. Hermione thought that the book looked interesting and would do for reading each night before she went to bed, it looked like it covered more than one topic which would also be good. Making up her mind she stood up, clasping the heavy book to her front she made her way to Madam Pince's desk to check it out from the library.

OOO

A week or so into the new term Harry, Ron and Hermione were walking down one of the corridors on the third floor, they had just come back from the library, where they had arrived twenty minuets before, after a hurried lunch. Lessons were due to start in five minuets and the three of them were making there way to Defence against the Dark Arts. They reached a turning at the end of the corridor and Hermione said to the boys.

"You go on, I'm just going to pop to the loo," She nodded at a door to their left and walked inside.

Just as Hermione was about to come out of her cubicle a minuet or so later she heard two sets of footsteps enter the room and a high pitched, shrieking laugh. Hermione could tell immediately who it was, Pansy Parkinson. Hermione stood very quietly where she was and listened to what they were saying, not wanting to face them.

"…so the stupid old bag said if I didn't hand it in by Thursday then she would give me a detention as well as the five points she had already taken from Slytherin," Finished off Pansy.

"That is out of order, what does she expect you to do, spend every evening doing homework!" said another voice, Hermione thought it may belong to Daphne Greengrass but she couldn't be sure, it could have been Tracey Davis.

"I know, I'm not Hermione Granger!" Screeched Pansy

Hermione scowled and tried not to make a sound, there would be hell to pay if they knew she was here. Both girls were laughing now.

"Can you imagine being her," continued Pansy "With that hair, and those teeth!"

"I know I'd think I'd just want to die!" Shrieked either Daphne or Tracy.

"Merlin knows how she made any friends, do you think she put a spell on them, or made them a potion or something?" giggled Pansy

"Probably, it seems like the kind of thing she would do,"

Now still giggling the footsteps were walking towards her. Hermione froze in horror, had they realised she was in here. But the footsteps carried on walking into the two cubicles on Hermione's right. Taking her chance Hermione grabbed her bag, washed her hands and hurried out the bathroom, seething at what she had just heard. How dare they say that! She knew her face must be red from anger and hurt at what she had heard. She hated how comments about her appearance still upset her, even though she had heard them all so many times. And she couldn't believe that they said she'd put a spell on Ron and Harry to make them like her. In her rage Hermione walked straight into something quite hard, she stumbled back to see she had slammed into Ron, who was standing next to Harry. They both had their arms outstretched in case they needed to catch her.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked, looking at them.

"Waiting for you, of course," Said Harry

"Yeah, although we'll stop doing it if you're going to try to walk through us instead of with us," Ron said, smirking.

Hermione looked at them both. The sharp green eyes and untidy black hair next to the calm blue eyes and shocking red hair. It wasn't a big gesture, waiting for her so they could walk to the lesson together, but it meant a lot to Hermione. She felt all of her anger and hurt that the girls in the bathroom had caused melt away as she smiled and began walking to Defence against the Dark Arts with the boys. Because even Hermione wasn't a good enough witch, to perform a spell or make a potion that could create the friendship the three children now shared.

OOO

January passed, ending the deep chill in the corridors and leaving only a slight cold and foot high of mud in the grounds. Hermione's parents still wrote weekly, detailing little things that were happening to them and continuing to ask lots of questions on Hermione's day to day life. Hermione was running out of things to tell them, her routine rarely varied. Which meant that in the third week of February, whilst Harry was at Quidditch practise Ron could be found placing a small table in between his and Hermione's armchairs after they had both finished their homework. Hermione had still not beaten Ron at a game yet, but she was improving. Ron had announced last week that he actually had to concentrate whilst playing now, something he insisted he had been only pretending to do before this.

As was custom now, Hermione began a conversation during the game, something which you apparently weren't meant to do whilst playing chess.

"Was the letter you got this morning from your parents?" She asked.

"No," Said Ron, staring at the board, "It was from Ginny,"

"I didn't know she normally wrote to you," Hermione moved a pawn as she spoke

"She doesn't, but she says that she's finally cracked and admitted that I'm less annoying than mum giving her all of her attention for these last five months,"

Hermione laughed and they both sat in comfortable silence for a few minuets, concentrating on the game.

"Hermione?" Ron asked

Hermione murmured to show she was listening.

"When you got back from Christmas, why did you say your parents found the sweets Harry had sent hilarious?"

Hermione looked up at him, "Where is this coming from,"

Ron shrugged, still looking at the board "I just remembered, I didn't think about it at the time but now…."

"Well, they found it all funny because they're muggles," Said a bewildered Hermione

"So?" said Ron, finally glancing up at her.

"Ron, you do realise the food is different in the muggle world, don't you?"

"What! Really, what's different, so the food we have for dinner is stuff you've never eaten before!" Ron said, stopping what he was doing to look up at her properly.

Hermione laughed at Ron's flabbergasted face, "No, no, that's all mostly the same I think. But all the sweets and most of the drinks are different here,"

"Different how?"

Hermione thought of the regular sweets that she had barely ever been allowed at home, they all seemed quite boring to all the wizard sweets.

"Well for starters the chocolate doesn't jump!"

"Does it taste different?" Ron asked quizzically.

"Uh, I don't think so,"

"Oh but you've never tried Honeydukes chocolate, have you?"

Hermione shook her head, she knew that Honeydukes was a sweet shop but she had never had the chance to try anything from there.

"Well, I don't know if that's different from muggle chocolate, what else is different?"

"Well, our jelly beans just come in normal fruit flavours, our cakes aren't normally shaped like cauldrons, our lollipops don't burn your tongue and our sherbet doesn't make you float of the ground!" Laughed Hermione

Ron frowned, "That all sounds quite boring,"

"Yes I suppose it is," Agreed Hermione

They were silent for a moment then Ron looked down at the board.

"Oh bloody hell, I've forgotten the plan I had in my head for the game now," He moaned, before staring intently at the board.

Ron sat like that for a few minuets, not noticing Harry walk into the room until he sat down next to him.

"Don't talk to me for a moment. I need to concen….." Ron glanced up at Harry's face and stopped midsentence. Hermione looked at Harry properly as well and saw the worry and fear etched around his eyes.

"What's the matter with you? You look terrible."

Harry leant in and said quietly, "Snape has decided to referee the match against Hufflepuff,"

"Don't play" Hermione said quickly, if Snape was refereeing it would be the perfect opportunity to hurt Harry in some way and make it seem like an accident.

"Say you're ill," Suggested Ron

"Pretend to break your leg," Hermione said nodding

"_Really _break your leg," said Ron enthusiastically

Harry shook his head at them, "I can't, there isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all."

Right then Neville toppled into the common room. Everyone wheeled round to face him as he hit the floor with bang, Hermione recognized what had happened to him immediately. He had had the leg-locker curse put on him. Hermione watched, horrified as everyone to began to laugh at poor Neville, she sprang up and rushed over him, bending down next to him to perform the counter-curse. His legs sprang apart and he slowly got to his feet. Hermione stood as well and put a reassuring hand on Neville's arm whilst she led him over to where Harry and Ron sat. She gestured to the armchair she had just vacated and Neville sat down shakily.

"What happened?" Hermione asked gently.

"Malfoy, I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practise that on." Mumbled Neville.

"Go to Professor McGonagall!" Hermione urged "Report him!"

Neville just shook his head sadly and said quietly "I don't want anymore trouble,"

"You've got to stand up to him, Neville!" said Ron. "He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier."

Hermione frowned at Ron's lack of tact.

"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that," Neville choked.

Harry pulled a Chocolate Frog out of a pocket in his robes and handed it to Neville.

"You're worth twelve of Malfoy," he said smiling. "The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin."

At Harry's kind words Neville managed a weak smile, he unwrapped the Frog in his hand.

"Thanks, Harry … I think I'll go to bed … D'you want the card, you collect them, don't you?"

And with that Neville walked towards the staircase to the boy's dormitory, shoulders hunched with his lack of self-confidence.

"Dumbledore again." Said Harry, looking at the Chocolate Frog card. "He was the first one I ever…."

Harry gasped loudly and stared at the back of the card. He then looked up and Ron and Hermione.

"_I've found him!_" He whispered excitedly "I've found Flamel! I _told _you I've read the name somewhere before, I read it on the train coming here – listen to this: 'Professor Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindlewald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood _and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicholas Flamel'_!"

Hermione's heart leaped into her throat and she grinned excitedly as she jumped from the armchair where she had sat after Neville had left.

"Stay there!" She squealed and raced up the stairs to the girl's dormitory. The book she had got out from the library weeks ago was called _Alchemy, Ancient Art and Science_. If Flamel was a famous alchemist, he would be in there. She raced into her dormitory and grabbed the book off of her bedside table before sprinting back down the stairs to the boys.

"I never thought to look in here!" She whispered "I got this out the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading."

"_Light?_" Said Ron incredulously

"Be quiet, I need to look something up," Hermione snapped

Hermione quickly turned to the chapter 'famous alchemists'. The chapter was split into sub-chapters in alphabetical order and Hermione flicked frantically through the old pages, muttering the names that she saw. Finally she came to Flamel.

"I knew it! I _knew _it!"

"Are we allowed to speak yet?" Ron grumbled

Hermione ignored his comment "Nicholas Flamel" Hermione said proudly, glancing at the page to make sure what she had seen was correct. "Is the _only know maker of the Philosopher's stone!_"

Both boys just sat there looking dumbstruck.

"The what?" They whispered

"Oh honestly, don't you two read?" Hermione said exasperatedly "Look – read that, there." She pushed the book towards them.

How could they not have heard of the Philosopher's stone, it was mentioned in more than one book Hermione had read? But only ever the concept of what one was, never the report of one being made. However as soon as she had heard Harry say Nicholas Flamel was an alchemist, she had guessed that he could be the maker of the Philosopher's stone, if what Harry had said about the package he had seen Hagrid pick up was true. It all fit. Harry and Ron finally looked up.

"See? The dog must be guarding Flamel's Philosopher's stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it. That's why he wanted the stone moved out of Gringotts!"

OOO

Hermione watched as Snape glared at Harry across the potions class room. The closer the game came, the more horrible Snape was being towards Harry; criticizing everything he did, taking house points away for pointless reasons and purposely embarrassing him in front of the whole class. After a particularly horrible lesson a week and a half before the match Harry walked out of the classroom looking very down, only to be called over by Oliver Wood, the Gryffindor Quidditch captain to tell him there was a new practise scheduled for tonight. Ron and Hermione both watched as Harry nodded along to what Wood was saying, clearly worried about the game. Hermione was struck by a sudden idea.

"Ron, do you think we should do something for the match?" She asked, her brain still whirring with ideas.

"What, you mean make another banner?" Ron answered

"No, no, I was thinking we should think of something to do if Snape shows any signs of wanting to hurt Harry," Hermione breathed, leaning close to Ron so as not to be overheard by any passing Slytherins. As she did this she smelt something different. It took her a while to recognize where she had smelt it before, but she remembered; at the start of term feast. It was the smell of candle smoke and earth mixed together. Now Ron was answering

"You mean, like some kind of spell," He whispered back

Hermione now realised that the smell was coming from Ron. She thought back to the time she had smelt it at the feast and remembered that Ron had been getting a dish that was just in front of Hermione, that was when she had smelt it.

"Yes, what do you think?"

Ron grinned, "I think it's a great idea, and I can't believe you're prepared to curse a teacher!"

"Desperate times and all that," Said Hermione leaning away from Ron as Harry approached. She didn't want Harry to know they were scared enough to attempt something like this.

"McGonagall managed to get the Ravenclaw team to give us the pitch for the whole of tonight as they don't have a match until the middle of May when they play us," Said Harry as he reached them.

"Well that's good, you'll definitely be prepared," Hermione said encouragingly

"Not what I'm worried about Hermione," Said Harry dejectedly.

Behind Harry's back Ron smirked at her, Hermione rolled her eyes at him. If Snape wanted to hurt Harry she wasn't sure how much they would be able to do to stop him if he was flying round on a broomstick.

OOO

"Are you sure we're allowed to be in here?" Asked Hermione that evening as they arrived in the room.

"Hermione it's no way near curfew, and no-one uses this classroom," Ron answered, throwing his bag in a corner.

"How do you know?"

Ron sighed and looked at her "Because this is the room that the mirror was in,"

Hermione's eyes widened and she looked quickly around the classroom, half expecting a giant mirror to appear in the middle of the floor. Finally satisfied that there wasn't anything that could get them into trouble in here she turned back to Ron.

"Have you had any thoughts about what we should do to Snape because I was thinking….."

"Yeah actually I have," Interrupted Ron "I was thinking the leg-locker curse, you know the one Malfoy used on Neville,"

"Oh," began Hermione, but before she could tell him that it was quite a good idea he ploughed in.

"Think about it, if you lock his legs he will either fall of his broom, or if he does stay up he will still have to get his wand out of his robes and perform the counter curse, which will give Harry time to get the hell away from him."

Hermione nodded, "It's a good idea, better than any of mine I think," she admitted. "Although do we want him to fall off his broom?"

Ron laughed "This man is prepared to make Harry fall of his broom but you wouldn't do the same to him if you needed to? Anyway the fall won't do anything Madam Pomfrey won't be able to fix,"

Hermione nodded at his reasoning.

"Do you know the spell, because I don't." asked Ron.

"Yes, but I've never used it,"

"Tell me then,"

Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her robes and pulled out her wand.

"Ok the wand movement is just a sharp jab and the words are '_Locomotor Mortis_',"

"_Locomotor Mortis,_" Repeated Ron

Hermione nodded "Shall I go first,"

Ron now nodded, a look of apprehension on his face. Hermione walked until she was about six feet opposite Ron. She lifted her wand.

"_Locomotor Mortis,_" She said, quickly jabbing her wand at Ron's legs

Hermione watched in quiet amusement as Ron's legs sprang together and he wobbled dangerously, trying to regain his balance.

"Hermione!" he called angrily.

"_Finite_," she said simply, waving her wand at Ron, his legs sprang apart.

Ron took a moment to observe his legs before reaching into his pocket and taking out his own wand.

"Right your turn, are you ready?" he asked

Hermione nodded and watched as Ron took a deep breathe to prepare himself.

"_Locomotor Mortis,_" He said, nothing happened.

"You've got to properly jab your wand, not just wave it," Hermione explained

Ron threw her a filthy look.

"Ok give me a minute…._Locomotor Mortis,_"

Hermione, who hadn't been totally expecting it, felt her legs snap together; she completely lost her balance and promptly fell straight over. Ron, to her displeasure, laughed. Hermione scowled and sat up, pointing her wand at her own legs and muttering '_finite,'._

For the next hour they carried on practising the spell on each other. Until not only had they perfected the spell, but the art of keeping your balance when your legs were locked together as well.

OOO

The evening before the match Ron and Hermione met once more to practise the spell again, this time trying to perform the spell whilst the other person was running and jumping. They did this until they were semi-confident that they could hit Snape whilst he was flying on a broomstick. As they stood nervously in the stands waiting for the match to begin Hermione muttered,

"Now, don't forget, it's _Locomotor Mortis_,"

Ron slipped his wand up his sleeve and snapped at her "I _know_, don't nag_."_

Hermione didn't retort, as his nerves were obviously on edge at the moment. Instead she stood silently clutching her arms to herself and waiting. After what seemed like an age Snape walked onto the pitch, followed by the two teams.

"I've never seen Snape look so mean" Ron commented to her. "Look – they're off. Ouch!"

They were indeed off. Hermione glanced around quickly to see that Malfoy, who had sidled up behind them with Crabbe and Goyle, had poked Ron in the back of the head, before turning her attention back to Harry, watching him beadily. Behind her she could here Malfoy saying something rude to Ron but neither of them were listening. Hermione had crossed every single one of her fingers in her lap and was staring fixedly on Harry whilst Ron watched in anger as Snape awarded Hufflepuff a penalty because George Weasley had hit a bludger at him. Minuets passed and Hermione sat frozen, unable to look away from Harry in case anything happened to him, she couldn't let Snape hurt Harry. She was aware that there was some sort of conversation between Malfoy, Neville and Ron going on but she paid it no mind. Then out of nowhere Harry went into a sharp dive to the ground.

"Ron!" Hermione called "Harry -!"

She stood and stuffed her crossed fingers in her mouth, watching Harry with a mixture with terror and excitement. Harry must have spotted the snitch, he was gaining speed, shooting like a bullet towards….Snape!

"Come on, Harry!" Hermione screamed. She could no longer see properly as people taller than her were now standing up in front so she leapt up onto her seat, clutching at her own face and watching with wide eyes as Harry shot past Snape and pulled out his dive. Fist raised high for the crowd to see the glint of gold in his hands. He had caught the snitch.

Hermione literally danced with happiness and when Parvati in the row in front turned to smile at her she pulled her into a hug, both girls jumping up and down in excitement. When they let go of each other, Hermione turned to beam at Ron.

"Ron! Ron! Where are you?" she said, still shrieking with happiness and twirling around to try and locate Ron, who seemed to have disappeared. "The game's over! Harry's won! Gryffindor are in the lead!"

Finally Hermione heard a muffled 'what really' coming from below her, she looked down to find that Ron and Malfoy were fiercely punching each other and next to them Crabbe and Goyle were laughing at an unconscious Neville. Hermione happiness evaporates slightly.

"Stop, stop, Ron stop!" She half-screamed, jumping of her seat and grabbing the back of Ron's jumper.

Ron struggled against her for a moment but then sat up and looked down at Malfoy, whose left eye was slowly turning purple.

"Had to get a girl from saving you from being beaten up did you Weasley?"

Ron smirked "Sorry but who's the one with a black eye Malfoy"

Malfoy looked as though he would launch himself at Ron again so Hermione yelled out in desperation.

"Don't!"

Malfoy turned to look at her, kneeling beside Ron, anger etched on her face.

"Or what?" he asked, lifting his eyebrows.

"Or I'll – I'll…."

"I'll go and fetch Professor McGonagall,"

Hermione turned to see it was Parvati who had spoken, she had leaned over to see what the fuss was about and had spotted that Hermione and Ron were in trouble. Malfoy stared at Parvati, then seeing that she meant what she said he picked himself up off the ground.

"Crabbe, Goyle, come on, let's go, leave these losers alone,"

They all watched as the three of them walked away. Ron, who had been sitting up as straight as he could whilst Malfoy was there, sagged, leaning against the seats in front as he reached up to touch a cut he had on his lip.

"Are you al…Oh my gosh, Neville!" Yelled Hermione jumping up and turning to face Neville, forgetting all about asking Ron if he was okay. Neville lay on the ground, bruises forming on his face and completely out cold. Hermione gently shook his shoulders.

"Neville? Can you hear me? It's Hermione," She said, he made no response.

"We have to get him to the hospital wing!" she said, turning to look at Ron, Parvati and Lavender, who had been standing just behind Parvati the whole time.

Ron stood up, grabbed Neville's armpits and hauled him up. Then he took one of Neville's arms and slung it round his shoulder. Hermione quickly did the same. Parvati and Lavender walked behind, arms outstretched in case Neville was dropped. Together they walked like this all the way back to the castle and up the stairs to the first floor where the hospital wing was located. Madam Pomfrey let out a little shriek when they all walked in and Ron and Hermione deposited Neville onto the nearest bed. When they had done this Parvati and Lavender quickly left, leaving Ron and Hermione there.

"A fist fight I suppose?" She asked tersely, bending over Neville

"Yes, is he going to be alright?" Hermione asked, watching Neville's lifeless form worriedly.

"He'll be alright once I've seen to him. Are you going to tell me who did this?"

Ron and Hermione glanced at each other. Ron raised his eyebrows and Hermione nodded, somehow understanding what Ron meant.

"That's up to Neville," Said Hermione.

Madam Pomfrey muttered angrily and waved them away. Both of them turned to go. After a minute of silence Hermione finally asked.

"Are you alright? Does your lip hurt?"

To her utter surprise Ron smiled broadly.

"Alright, Hermione I'm more than alright. Harry caught the snitch in five minuets, Gryffindor are in the lead, I gave Malfoy a black eye and Neville stuck up for himself. What would be wrong?"

* * *

><p>And you know the rest, the bump into Harry he tells them he saw Quirrel and Snape in the forest etc. etc.<p>

I'm not that happy with this chapter, it feels like i'm hinting at romance between R&H which i'm NOT. I truly believe they felt nothing more than friendship for each other for 3 years. I didn't actually make up the whole practising leg-locker but. it says in the book they do that so... Please tell me your thoughts and suggestions in a review, i actually try to put in suggestions given to me by people, and if i like them i will deffinatley do them so feel free to do that.

Oh and the book mentioned is a real book in the wizarding world. It was mentioned in a very early draft of Philosophers stone. If you can find it anywhere on the internet, read it it's very funny (Fanfic won't let me post a link)

Oh please help, why does the doc manager thing say that the chapters have a life of 60 days, because that means chapter one only has about 10 days left i think. After that will it be deleted? I don't want to re-upload it because you'll all be getting notifications on a new chapter when its just an old one. And then it will all be in the wrong order. HELP.

Right, finally i will try to get H's version of 'through the trapdoor' up on the 31st because i think thats a goos way to celebrate Jo's and Harry's birthdays. However i want another chapter before that but i don't know if i have time to do two chapters this week. I'm all in a muddle so if nothing is uploaded here on the 31st please check out my profile because i may upload some kind of short one-short instead. Bare with!.

Please review, Hannah xx


	11. Hardships

This Chapter is dedicated to Neville Longbottom, whose birthday is in three days. Happy Birthday Neville, you are an inspirational character who taught me that it's never to late to become who you were born to be. Thank you for being everyone's hero when they needed one, me included. Because of the fact i'm working to get a chapter out on the 31st it would be impossible to get one out on the 30th, so the 27th will have to do. This chapter also shows that despite what everyone thought, Neville was brave and loyal from the beginning, read on to find out.

* * *

><p>Chapter Eleven – Hardships<p>

_Dear Mum and Dad_

_Exams are coming; I've started revising of course and making timetables and things like that. Ron and Harry think it's too early to start but I'm trying to convince them otherwise, the teachers all agree with me. We're getting a lot more homework now but I'm still coping fine, although I don't have as much free time anymore. I can't believe how quickly the year is going, can you believe it's almost the Easter holidays! It feels like a few days a go I was saying goodbye to you after Christmas, I don't know where the time goes. Harry won his match against Hufflepuff, he caught the snitch in five minuets, they think it was one of the quickest games ever. This means that Gryffindor are in the lead for the house cup for the first time in seven years, how great is that?_

_Oh I have a favour to ask you. Ron's Birthday is coming up (the first of April) and a few weeks a go we were having a discussion about the differences between muggle and wizard sweets. We couldn't decide if there was any difference between muggle and wizard chocolate so I was thinking for his Birthday I could get him a few different types of muggle chocolate as he's never tried it before. Would you buy and send that over for me please, I'll pay you back the money when I get home as I'm sure you don't really want to be paid in sickles! Mum please don't buy any of your weird sugar-free chocolate, I'm trying to prove that some muggle things are as good as wizard things and that chocolate was just plain disgusting, I think it would scare him away from muggle things for life!_

_Thank you. Missing you loads and I can't wait to see you in July_

_Lots of love_

_Hermione x_

OOO

Hermione had indeed begun to revise very hard, she knew that they needed to pass these exams to get into their second year, so they were very important. The boys didn't think along the same lines and resented her telling them to draw up revision time tables and colour code their notes. When the Easter holidays began Hermione dragged Ron and Harry to the library every day to study and practise. Ron's Birthday fell on the first Monday of the holidays and when he arrived in the common room that morning, still thanking Harry for the Chudley Cannons poster he had bought him, he point blank refused to step foot in the library.

"It's my Birthday, and if you think I'm spending it stuck in the library surrounded by boring books, you've got another thing coming!"

Hermione sighed and decided not to argue the point at that moment in time and handed over her present instead. It had arrived at breakfast two days ago and the questions about what it was had been difficult to dodge. Ron unwrapped it eagerly but his face fell when he saw what was inside, he stared at it for a long time saying nothing. Hermione felt quiet upset; she thought it had been a good idea.

"What is it?" asked Ron finally

Harry burst out laughing and had to hold onto an armchair to stop himself from falling over, when Ron turned to look at him with a bewildered look on his face he just laughed harder, even Hermione couldn't suppress a giggle.

"What?" said Ron angrily

"It's chocolate stupid," Hermione said, still laughing.

"Is it?" Ron said, turning the three bars that were in there over curiously.

"Yes muggle chocolate, so you can find out if it tastes any different from wizard chocolate, like you wanted to," Hermione reminded.

"Oh yeah," Said Ron, brightening immediately "Thanks Hermione, that's a cool present,"

Hermione shrugged "It was nothing, glad you liked it,"

As she spoke Ron was already tearing into the biggest bar and popping a chunk in his mouth. Both Harry and Hermione fell silent to watch his reaction. For a long while he chewed thoughtfully.

"Well?" Said Hermione, getting impatient

Ron swallowed and looked back down at the bar.

"Well, it's different," He said

"Different how?" Harry asked, looking amused

Ron seemed to have to think for a moment again before saying slowly, "Well it tastes more chocolatey than Honeydukes, but it tasted less…magical," he finished, sounding like he couldn't think of a better word.

"Magical?" Harry and Hermione repeated curiously

"You'll have to try Honeydukes to see what I mean," Ron reasoned

Harry rolled his eyes and began walking out of the common room, Ron followed, taking the chocolate with him,

"So will you eat it even though it tastes less 'magical'?" Asked Hermione, catching up to the boys.

"Hermione, Ron will eat anything as long as it stays still for long enough!" Harry laughed

Ron grinned and said "'course I will, it's not bad different just…..different,"

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief that her present had been a good idea after all and the three of them proceeded down to breakfast. Ron held true to his word and refused to do any work that day, after a lot of discussion Hermione finally agreed to take the day off but insisted tomorrow they catch up on work they had missed, muttering to herself.

"My timetable will be completely ruined now,"

After breakfast the three of them made their way down to Hagrid's, who beamed happily when they walked through the door and handed Ron a batch of freshly made rock cakes for his present, Ron's smile was slightly forced. They spent the day chatting happily and Hagrid told them some funny stories of when he was in his first year at Hogwarts. Finally at dinner time the four of them made their way back up to the castle, where Fred and George decided to humiliate Ron by singing 'Happy Birthday' loudly to 'ickle Ronniekins'. Ron was giving them looks that could slice glass throughout. Back at the common room Harry and Hermione each played a game of chess against Ron whilst happily munching on Hermione's chocolate and an assortment of other food Ron had received, before traipsing up to bed.

OOO

The only significant thing to happen through the rest of the holidays was finding out that Hagrid was keeping an illegal dragon in his house, which Hermione was not very happy about. Aside from this Hermione worked hard at her revision and tried to force the boys to do the same. When term started extra homework was piled onto their workload, so much that even Hermione began to feel the strain. The first week of term was the same as any other, apart from the teachers now stressed the importance a lot more of what they were doing in lessons. The second week saw a change in the routine. On Monday morning Hedwig flew into the great hall with a note from Hagrid, it was two words '_it's hatching_'. On the way down to Herbology Ron and Hermione fought over what to do.

"Seriously Hermione, it's a once in a life time opportunity and you want to miss it to go to a lesson we go to every week!" Hissed Ron

"Ron we have our exams in a few weeks, we can't miss anything! And if all three of us are missing they'll know we're doing something and try to find us,"

"No they won't, they won't ask till later and by that time we can make something up. It's a _dragon_ Hermione!"

"Yes exactly, an _illegal _dragon, do you realise how much trouble Hagrid will be in if anyone finds out, and then we'll be in trouble for knowing but not telling anyone," Hermione whispered angrily

"But no-one's going to find out and if they do, Hagrid wouldn't turn us in. Come on Hermione, you must want to see a dragon hatching," Ron wheedled

Hermione sighed, Ron did have a point, it would be fascinating to see a dragon hatching. "Fine we'll go quickly during morning break, it will take a while to hatch so we should still be able to see it then,"

Ron nodded, although rather grudgingly as they entered the greenhouse for Herbology.

OOO

Hermione had her head in her hands, not even attempting to do anything constructive, in fact she quite wanted to cry. It had been a week and a half since Norbert had hatched. Since then worries had been mounting on Hermione endlessly. Malfoy new about the dragon, they were anxiously waiting for a reply from Ron's brother Charlie about taking the dragon, Hagrid kept getting them no help out with Norbert and school work was becoming an endless battle. It was now midnight and all Hermione wanted to do was fall into bed, but instead she and Harry were waiting for Ron to return from feeding Norbert. Finally the portrait hole opened and Ron appeared out of nowhere as he pulled Harry's invisibility cloak off. He was extremely angry when he came in and showed them a nasty bite Norbert had given him, which seemed to have bled quite a lot. Before Hermione had time to give any suggestions there was a tap on the window, it was Hedwig with Charlie's answer, they all read it hurriedly.

_Dear Ron_

_How are you? Thanks for the letter – I'd be glad to take the Norwegian Ridgeback, but it won't be easy getting him here. I think the best thing will be to send him over with some friends of mine who are coming to visit me next week. Trouble is, they mustn't be seen carrying an illegal dragon._

_Could you get the Ridgeback up to the tallest tower at midnight on Saturday? They can meet you there and take him away while it's still dark._

_Send me an answer as soon as possible._

_Love,_

_Charlie_

Hermione surprised even herself by agreeing to Harry's plan to sneak out with the invisibility cloak to get Norbert to the tower. It showed just how much she hated Norbert, if she was willing to sneak an illegal dragon through the corridors in the dead of night to a tower students weren't allowed in apart from lessons. Absently she thought about what a nice brother Charlie sounded like, and how un-fazed he seemed by the fact his brother wanted to sneak him an illegal dragon out of the country, but she didn't linger on it. She had more important things to worry about.

OOO

Hermione happily jigged about when Harry lifted the invisibility cloak off of them.

"Malfoy's got detention! I could sing!" she laughed

"Don't," Harry advised smiling

They waited, still chuckling about Malfoy getting detention, Norbert thrashed around in his crate and a light wind picked at Hermione's hair. After ten minutes Charlie's friends arrived, they were cheery and happily showed Harry and Hermione the harness they had rigged to carry Norbert. After carefully lifting the crate into the harness they all shook hands and took off into the night. Hermione smiled widely as Norbert disappeared into the distance and her and Harry nearly skipped back down the staircase. As they turned the last corner to the bottom of the stairs a face loomed out at them from the darkness, Hermione nearly screamed in terror. It was Filch, he gave them a small twisted smile and said quietly.

"Well well well, we _are _in trouble."

Hermione's heart was in her throat and her legs felt like jelly. They had left the Invisibility Cloak at the top of the tower. Filch took them down to Professor McGonagall's office where she and Harry sat, not looking at each other. Hermione actually began to tremble in fear and tears threatened to spill over her cheeks when for the second time that year she saw her magical career ending before it had really began. Finally Professor McGonagall walked in, Neville was with her. Hermione listened in horror as Professor McGonagall gave her idea of what was going on, that they had fed Malfoy a story of dragon hoping to get him out of bed and that Neville had heard and believed it too. Hermione glanced quickly at Neville as this was said and saw his wounded expression, he must have been so afraid as he tried to find them in the dark to warn them about Malfoy. Hermione actually felt sick with herself at dragging poor Neville into this unbelievable mess. The feeling only increased as Professor McGonagall said she had thought Hermione had more sense. Yet again Professor McGonagall was disappointed in Hermione for something she had never done, only this time Hermione hadn't wanted to throw herself in front of the bullet, this time she had tried desperately to dodge it but failed miserably because of a moment of utter stupidity. How could they have not remembered the cloak! Impossible as it was her heart sunk further still as she received a detention, something she had never imagined she could get, and fifty points deducted from Gryffindor. In one stupid night she had helped lose Gryffindor one hundred and fifty points. She couldn't recall how she got back to her dormitory, all she knew was that that night she didn't sleep a wink, just sobbed into her pillow until no more tears would come, by that time it was dawn.

OOO

Hermione had never been so miserable in her life, no one would speak to her or Harry, she was shot evil looks in the corridors and whispers followed her wherever she went.

"That's the one, one of Potter's stupid friends that did it,"

Every single one of the girls in her dormitory had turned against her, even Parvati who had always been so nice, refused to speak to Hermione. Their thunderous looks followed her as she moved around the dormitory in the morning, along with all of the Gryffindors, Hufflepuff's and Ravenclaws every single time she walked into the great hall. The only person who stuck by her and Harry was Ron, who treated them no differently and told anyone who shouted things at them in the corridors to shut up.

Every lesson was torture and Hermione no longer answered any question in class, she kept her eyes firmly on her desk and took careful notes of everything said. To keep her mind off of her misery Hermione worked herself harder than ever. She had expected to be alone in her long hours of revision, but Harry and even Ron joined her working late into every night practising spells and memorizing dates and ingredient lists.

The detention was horrendous, the forest at night was a terrifying place where every small sound seemed like a gunshot and insignificant movements made their hearts beat fast in fright. Even worse was Malfoy running back to Hagrid without Harry, screaming about something in a cloak drinking a dead unicorn's blood. Hermione's heart seemed to chill but she knew that they had to find Harry if he had been left alone, and quickly.

"Where, where was the clearing?" Hermione asked urgently

Malfoy looked at her, normally when this happened his look was scathing or cruel but now it showed only terror, to Hermione's surprise he answered her question properly, not shooting her any mean remarks.

"Over that way," Malfoy said pointing a shaking hand down the path.

Hermione took of at a run, no longer scared of what could be in the forest, focusing only on making sure Harry was alright, if anything happened to him….

She ran for what seemed like an eternity, Hagrid puffing along behind her. Finally a centaur came into view, he was walking slowly along the path and on his back was….

"Harry!" Hermione yelled in relief "Harry, are you all right?"

Harry said he was in a shaky voice and told Hagrid where the unicorn was, then the centaur said his farewells and walked away into the dark forest.

OOO

When they arrived back in the common room, Hermione was exhausted, Harry however was full of restless energy and shook Ron, who had tried to wait up for them, very roughly awake. Ron yelled something to do with Quidditch as he was woken but soon looked wide awake as he sat up and watched Harry pace back and forth. Hermione took a seat next to him.

"Are you alright?" He asked, glancing at her pale face

Hermione nodded and they both turned to watch as Harry began to explain what he had seen.

"Well, we came into the clearing and the unicorn was lying on the ground, dead, so we were about to send up green sparks when I heard this horrid slithering sound and out of a bush came a hooded…..thing, it was crawling along the ground and it got to the unicorn and began to drink its blood,"

Hermione gasped in horror and Ron just looked disgusted.

"So Malfoy and Fang ran off and then the thing looked up and started to come towards me, and that's when I got this terrible pain in my scar,"

Harry reached up absentmindedly to touch his forehead.

"It was the worst pain I've ever had so I tried to move but I couldn't really… and then the centaur who you saw Hermione comes bounding into the clearing, but the pain was so bad that I'd fallen over and I didn't see how Firenze got the thing to leave but when I looked up it was gone. So then Firenze said I could ride him to get back to Hagrid because that would be quickest. So then he told me that unicorn blood will keep you alive even if your about to die, but once you drink it you'll have a cursed life,"

"Well who would want that!" Burst out Ron

"That's what I said, so Firenze said that the only reason you'd really drink it was to keep you alive until you drink something that can bring you back to full life,"

"The Philosophers Stone, it produces the Elixir of Life!" Hermione breathed.

Harry nodded " So then Firenze asked me who has wanted to return to power for years and years and has clung to life until he got the chance… but before I could say if it was Voldemort, Hermione, you came running up, but I know I'm right. Sanpe wants the stone for Voldermort…and Voldemort's waiting in the forest…and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich…"

"Stop saying the name!" Ron said, sounding terrified,

Harry ignored him "Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done …Bane was furious …he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen …They must show that Voldemort's coming back …Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me … I suppose that's written in the stars as well."

Hermione was now a bit lost by the conversation but she assumed that Harry and Firenze had met the centaur that they had all met earlier in the evening called Bane.

"_Will you stop saying the name!_" Ron hissed

"So all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone, then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me off … Well, I suppose Bane will be happy."

Hermione felt scared by what Harry was saying, she couldn't believe that at eleven years old he was having to fear for his life, but she remembered something from a few of her books she had read over the summer.

"Harry, everyone says Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of. With Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch you. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch of magic,"

They finally stopped talking just as the sky began to turn light, all collapsing in their beds, exhausted.

OOO

Hermione didn't have much room in her head to worry about the Stone as exams were upon them. Her nerves were very jittery and she found she had a lot shorter temper than normal. The written exams were done in large classroom that got swelteringly hot with all the pupils in there, but Hermione made sure she was distracted by nothing. The papers themselves where relatively fine, although challenging at points Hermione didn't come across anything that made her completely unstuck. The practical exams were more pressurised as you only had one or two spells to pass or fail on but Hermione found that most of the spells were ones she had been doing since Christmas. Potions was a good exam as Hermione had managed to remember the instructions with ease, the only distraction was Snape breathing down their necks as they worked. The last exam was history of magic which Hermione found far easier than she thought she would and then it was over. There was no more revision to do, her exams had gone well and the weather was lovely. Hermione reckoned that she was in for an enjoyable afternoon.

OOO

She was wrong. The rest of the afternoon was spent racing around in panic. Hagrid had admitted that he had told the stranger who gave him the dragon egg how to get past Fluffy so the three of them had tried to find Dumbledore before Professor McGonagall told them he had left the school and she wouldn't listen to their theory that someone was trying to steal the stone. After this Hermione tried to watch Snape whilst the boys guarded the third floor corridor, this also went wrong and when they met back together Hermione felt like she was about to cry. The feeling only intensified when Harry said he was going to try and get the stone first, after arguing his point that this was a lot bigger than house points now, that Voldemort would kill if he was allowed to come back, Hermione saw his point.

"You're right Harry," She said in a small voice.

"I'll use the Invisibility cloak," Said Harry. "It's just lucky that I got it back."

"But will it cover all three of us?" Asked Ron

"All – all three of us?"

"Oh come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone?" Ron scoffed

"Of course not," Hermione said briskly "How do you think you'd get the stone without us? I'd better go and look through my books, there might be something useful …"

"But if we get caught, you two will be expelled, too."

Hermione smiled grimly as a happy memory of a few days a go floated back to her "Not if I can help it, Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and twelve percent on his exam. They're not throwing me out after that."

Ron nodded "We're coming, Harry,"

* * *

><p>Dun, Dun, Duhhhhhhhh. My first cliffhanger, although you know what happens next. So this means that Hermione's version of 'through the trap door' (it will have a different title) will be up on the 31st. YES! It has just hit me that we have nearly finished the first year, only around 2, possibly 3 chapters to go. But we have 7 more years (hopefully) of this story left :D<p>

I'm sorry if anyone found this chapter boring, it kind of just repeated the book, but i had to put something in to transition to the next one, in which (as well as other things) you will get to see my version of what happened after Harry left Hermione to go fight Voldemort. eeeeee i'm exited to write it!

If anyone is interested, Lucy and Julie, Hermione's room mates, weren't made up. Well their names were but from 'Harry Potter wiki' I found out that there were exactly 40 students in Harry's year, exactly 10 per house and each of them was split evenly boys and girls. It also gave me the names of a few students that were never mentioned in the books but J. had names of nevertheless, unfortunately she either never made up or never released the names of the two extra Gryffindor girls, so I christened them myself. Lucy is actually named after my best friend. I did this because my name is in the books (and i marry Neville, WIN) but hers never was so i named a character after her and also because she was the first person i told that i was writing this because i trust her with my life. I thought the least i could do was name a character after her :D

So i hope you enjoyed this PLEASE review, you don't know how much it pleases me to see a review alert in my inbox, i know it's cheesy but it quite literally makes my day.

Hannah x


	12. Daring Nerve and Chivalry

The dedication of this chapter goes to Joanne Rowling on her birthday, July the 31st. I will try to keep this short as i could go on for pages. Jo, without you, i would not be writing this story. You have given me light when i needed most, you have given me a home i can always come back to, you have given me friends who never turn their backs on me. You have also shaped the person I am, each of your characters have taught me different lessons about life and love which i don't think i could have learnt anywhere else. I would not be the person i am today if you hadn't picked up your pen and began scribbling a story about a boy wizard. There are not enough words in the world to show you my gratefulness, so all i will do is wish you a very Happy Birthday with this Chapter. Jo, Thank you.

* * *

><p>Chapter Twelve – Daring Nerve and Chivalry<p>

Hermione had all her notes in front of her and was feverishly skimming through them, she knew that there was little hope that she would come across one of the enchantments they would be facing tonight but, anything was worth a shot. It took quite a while for the common room to empty but finally Harry ran upstairs to fetch the cloak. Hermione put down her notes on the table beside her armchair and stood up, Ron did the same.

"Come across anything?" Ron said, faking casualness.

"No," Hermione said sadly, shaking her head.

"We'll be fine," Ron said firmly. Hermione couldn't tell if he was saying it to himself or her.

Harry arrived back in the common room "We'd better put the cloak on here, and make sure it covers all three of us – if Filch spots one of our feet wandering along on its own …."

"What are you doing?" Said a voice from an armchair in the corner of the room. They all turned to see Neville appear, clutching Trevor the toad.

Hermione's breathe caught in her throat; they had all thought the common room was empty.

"Nothing, Neville, nothing," Harry said briskly, putting the cloak behind his back

Neville gave them all a hard look.

"You're going out again," He said, it was not a question.

"No, no, no. No, we're not," Hermione said, quite harshly, she softened her tone as she finished "Why don't you go to bed, Neville?"

"You can't go out, you'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble." Neville said, raising his chin

"You don't understand, this is important." Harry implored

Neville's eyes narrowed as he locked eyes with the three of them "I won't let you do it," He said, moving to stand in front of the portrait hole. "I'll – I'll fight you!"

"_Neville,_" Ron yelled suddenly "get away from hole and don't be an idiot…."

"Don't call me an idiot!" Neville said back, loudly, his face a mask of determination. Underneath her annoyance Hermione felt quite proud of him standing up for himself so well. "I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"

"Yes, but not to _us,_" Ron said in an exasperated voice, despite herself Hermione frowned at what he had said. "Neville, you don't know what you're doing."

Ron stepped towards Neville as he spoke and Neville dropped Trevor and clenched his jaw.

"Go on then, try and hit me!" He said, raising his fists. "I'm ready!"

Harry turned to Hermione, who was watching with a slack jaw "_Do something,_" He said desperately.

Hermione closed her eyes for a second and stepped forwards, hating herself for what she was about to do to poor Neville. He was her friend who just wanted to do the right thing, he shouldn't have to be punished for that. But Hermione knew that she had to do this.

"Neville, I'm really, really sorry about this." She said raising her wand.

Neville gave her fleeting, confused look before…

"_Petrificus Totalus!_" She said, pointing her wand at Neville

Hermione watched with sadness as Neville's arms snapped to his sides and his legs bound together, his whole body was stiff as he swayed, then fell flat onto the carpet, face down. Hermione rushed forwards and knelt down next to him, carefully grabbing his shoulders and turning him over. His whole face was rigid apart from his eyes, which looked at Hermione in utter horror and hurt. Hermione felt her throat catch.

"What have you done to him?" Harry whispered from behind her.

"It's the full Body-Bind," Said Hermione, not looking around. "Oh Neville, I'm so sorry." She half-whispered hoping he would understand how she wished she hadn't had to do that. She hoped he would see the apology in her eyes.

"We had to, Neville, no time to explain," Said Harry

"You'll understand later, Neville," Ron said.

Hermione stood up and went over to the boys so they could pull the invisibility cloak over all three of them. She hated leaving Neville helpless on the floor, but what else could she have done?

OOO

All three of them stood looking at the slightly ajar door with a growing terror in their stomachs.

"Well, there you are," Harry said softly. "Snape's already got past Fluffy."

Harry turned around underneath the cloak so he was looking at Ron and Hermione. Hermione noted the steely look in his eyes.

"If you want to go back, I won't blame you. You can take the Cloak, I won't need it now."

Hermione felt a mixture of amusement at the fact that Harry actually thought they would leave him and sadness at what Harry was prepared to face alone. Before she could reply Ron had shot out.

"Don't be stupid,"

Hermione nodded "We're coming."

Harry pushed the door open. As it creaked they all heard the ominous growls of Fluffy, who was sniffing loudly in their direction. Hermione spotted something odd.

"What's that at its feet?"

"Looks like a harp," Said Ron squinting. "Snape must have left in there,"

"It must wake up the moment you stop playing," Said Harry "Well here goes …"

Out of his pocket he brought out a roughly chiselled flute. Hermione had never seen it before. He put it to his lips and began to blow, despite the fact it wasn't really a tune the dog began to fall asleep straight away. Within a few moments it had slumped to the ground, breathing heavily.

"Keep playing," Ron warned as they took off the cloak and crept towards the trapdoor.

"I think we'll be able to pull the door open," Ron said, peering around the dog. He looked up at them "Want to go first Hermione?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him "No, I don't!"

"All right." Said Ron, gritting his teeth. He carefully stepped over the dog's legs and pulled the ring of the trapdoor, it swung open immediately.

"What can you see?" Hermione asked

"Nothing – just black – there's no way of climbing down, we'll just have to drop."

Harry, who was standing nest to her, waved wildly at Ron and then pointed to himself.

"You want to go first?" Ron said slowly. "Are you sure?" I don't know how deep this thing goes. Give the flute to Hermione so she can keep him asleep."

Harry turned to her and handed her the flute. In those few seconds the dog growled and its paw twitched. Hermione quickly put the flute to her lips and played the first tune that came into her head. It took her a second to recognize what she was playing; it was 'Fast Car' By Tracy Chapman, her mother's favourite song. Hermione watched as Harry climbed over the dog's paw and looked down into the trapdoor. He then lowered himself down until Hermione could no longer see him.

"If anything happens to me, don't follow. Go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, right?" Came his voice, miraculously steady.

"Right," Ron answered.

"See you in a minute, I hope …" Were his final words as he dropped down.

Hermione almost stopped playing the flute as she waited in horror, finally a voice floated up to them, sounding incredibly far away.

"It's OK! It's a soft landing, you can jump!"

Ron gave her a fleeting look of determination before jumping down out of sight. Hermione, still playing the flute, carefully climbed over the dog's leg and stood at the edge of the trapdoor. From a distance she heard 'come on, Hermione!'. She felt a fierce clench of fear in her stomach as she took the flute out of her mouth and jumped into nothingness. Cold, stale air whipped her hair above her head as she fell down and down. Suddenly she landed with a flump onto…whatever it was she had landed on.

She looked around her, at the damp walls and endless ceiling "We must be miles under the school," She said.

"Lucky this plant thing is here, really," Ron said, looking down

As he spoke Hermione too looked down at what they had landed on and immediately shrieked in horror.

"_Lucky_! Look at you both!"

Hermione leapt up and tried to move herself. She found it extremely difficult as the plant she had landed on had begun to twist strange tendrils around her ankles. They were trying to grip her tightly but Hermione kicked outwards until she reached the wall. Then she turned to Harry and Ron whose legs were both bound tightly vines. Hermione watched in utter horror as the boys struggled against the plant, but the more they moved about, the tighter the plants grip became. Suddenly she realised what the plant was and she called out to the boys.

"Stop moving! I know what this is – It's Devils Snare!"

"Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help," Ron shot at her as he tried to lean away from the plant, which was attempting to curl round his neck.

Hermione panicked when she realised she couldn't remember how to kill it. Ron yelling at her was not helping.

"Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!"

"Well hurry up, I can't breathe!" Harry gasped, Hermione blanched at the sight of the Devil's Snare wrapping around his chest.

"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare…what did Professor Sprout say?" Hermione muttered desperately "It likes the dark and damp….."

"So light a fire!" Harry managed to choke out

"Yes – of course….." Hermione looked around the room frantically for something to start a fire with "But there's no wood!" She cried desperately, almost in tears at the sight of her two best friends being suffocated with nothing she could do to help.

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?" Ron suddenly bellowed at her from across the room. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"

"Oh right," Said Hermione, wanting to hit herself. She pulled her wand out of her pocket and waved it in a circle.

"_caeruleum__flammula" _She muttered quickly, holding her wand out for longer so that the jet of her bluebell flames shot out, rather than fell as a small clump.

She watched with relief as the Devil's Snare loosened its grip on the boys, after struggling for a bit they both managed to pull free.

"Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione," Harry said as he joined her by the wall.

"Yeah, and lucky Harry doesn't lose his head in a crisis – 'there's no wood', _honestly_." Ron said, shaking his head whilst giving her a look that clearly said 'you utter moron.'

Hermione cringed, not believing her own stupidity. How had she forgotten she could use magic! The boys could have been seriously hurt because of her. She felt quite idiotic.

"This way," Said Harry, pointing to a stone passageway in front of them.

They walked for a short while, the passageway gently sloped downwards and Hermione could here the sound of water dripping down the walls. Finally Ron whispered.

"Can you hear something?"

Hermione now listened, she could here a soft rustling a soft rustling sound with the occasional clink in the background.

"Do you think it's a ghost?" Ron asked quietly

"I don't know …. Sounds more like wings to me," Said Harry

"There's light up ahead – I can see something moving," Hermione breathed

The passageway ended and they found themselves in a brightly lit chamber. Flying serenely around the room were hundreds of jewel coloured birds, flying right up to the high arched ceiling above them.

"Do you think they'll attack us if we cross the room?" Said Ron, looking at a heavy wooden door on the other side of the chamber

"Probably, they don't look very vicious, but I suppose if they all swooped down at once … we'll there's nothing for it …. I'll run," Harry said, covering his face with his arms.

Ron and Hermione watched with bated breathe as Harry began to sprint across the room. To their surprise, nothing happened, Harry reached the door unscathed. Ron and Hermione walked across the room and joined Harry at the door where they all pulled with all their might. It did not work, even after Hermione tried '_alhomora_' from the Standard book of spells chapter 7, the door refused to open.

"Now what?" Said Ron, throwing up his arms.

Hermione turned her face up to the ceiling and began to think.

"These birds ….. They can't be here just for decoration,"

"They're not birds!" Said Harry suddenly, making Ron and Hermione jump. "They're _keys_! Winged keys – look carefully. So that must mean…."

Harry trailed off as Hermione stared upwards. Harry was right; if you squinted you could just make out the shape of a glittering key between the wings of each creature.

"…..Yes – look! Broomsticks! We've got to catch the key to the door!"

Hermione followed Harry's pointed finger.

"But there are _hundreds _of them!" She said, frustrated.

Ron was now looking at the lock on the door. "We're looking for a big, old fashioned one – probably silver, like the handle,"

All three of them walked towards the broomsticks that were propped up in the corner. The two boys grabbed their brooms with enthusiasm, but Hermione was more hesitant. She hated flying, her lessons this year had mostly consisted of her going extremely slowly and not very high up, avoiding corners at all costs. She didn't understand how it could be enjoyable, there was nothing holding you up but a thin piece of wood! Nevertheless she grabbed a broom and kicked off into the air with the other two, trying not to shriek every time she had to lift her hand off of the broom to grab at a key. After a few minuets of futile attempts Harry yelled out.

"That one! That big one – there – no there – with bright blue wings – the feathers are crumpled on one side." Harry was pointing to a key near the top of the room.

Seeing Harry pointing Ron went speeding off and promptly crashed into the ceiling, he managed to catch himself before he fell of his broom but Hermione still nearly screamed.

"We've got to close in on it" Harry called, still watching the key. "Ron, you come at from above – Hermione stay below and stop it coming down – and I'll try and catch it. Right, Now!"

With a faint moan Hermione pointed her broom upwards so she shot towards the ceiling, she felt as if she were going to slip off the end and fall, her knuckles had gone white from holding on so hard. Hermione barely noticed as the key dodged past both her and Ron, causing them to almost crash into one another, they both managed to get their brooms steady just as Harry pinned the key against the wall. Hermione and Ron both cheered with happiness. They all landed quickly and Harry ran to the door. He shoved the key into the lock and Hermione heard the click of it opening. The key then zoomed out of Harry's hand to rejoin its companions.

"Ready?" Harry asked, glancing back.

Hermione nodded with Ron and they watched as Harry pulled the door open. Inside it was dark so it looked like the door opened to nothingness. However as they stepped into the room, light flooded from every corner. They were standing, astonishingly, on a gigantic chess board. In front of them stood the black chessmen, all a lot taller than the three of them. On the other side, Hermione could see the white chessmen, none of them had faces.

"Now what do we do?" Whispered Harry

"It's obvious isn't it? "Ron said. "We've got to play our way across the room."

"How?" Asked Hermione, her voice shaking with fear, she didn't like this at all.

"I think, we're going to have to be chessmen."

Hermione watched as Ron took control of the situation, something Harry had been doing so far this evening. Ron walked up to a black knight and touched the horse's nose. At once it came alive, the horse pawing the ground and the head of the man looking down at Ron.

"Do we – er – have to join you to get across?"

The knight nodded and Ron turned back to Hermione and Harry.

"This wants thinking about …. I suppose we've got to take the place of three of the black pieces …."

Ron stood thinking for a moment and Hermione was reminded forcefully of all the times Ron had sat across from her when they played chess, a very similar expression on his face as he worked out his strategy. Although now is face was a lot paler and his jaw was clenched tight.

"Now, don't be offended or anything, but neither of you are that good at chess…."

Hermione, for the first time, wasn't offended at being called not very good at something.

"We're not offended," Harry said quickly. "Just tell us what to do,"

"Well, Harry you take the place of that bishop, and Hermione you go next to him instead of the castle,"

Hermione nodded "What about you?" She asked quietly

"I'm going to be a knight," Ron said, lifting his chin bravely.

As soon as Ron had finished talking the chess pieces he had mentioned sprang to life and walked off the board. Harry, Ron and Hermione all walked to their places with slightly trembling legs.

"White always plays first in chess," Said Ron, staring at the other side of the board. "Yes …. Look …"

Hermione watched as a white pawn moved forwards to squares. With this, Ron started to direct the black pieces, his face a mask of concentration that none of them dared to break. In some ways Hermione was reminded of the games they played in the common room, on happier nights before they had lost Gryffindor all those points, but she could see the differences in hundreds of other ways. How when chess pieces were taken by the other team, they could feel the vibrations through the flaw as the heavy stone crashed down, how Ron had to play the game with the added problem of not getting Himself, Harry and Hermione taken, how Hermione felt physically sick every time she had to move. Ron barely spoke but to move the pieces until,

"We're nearly there. Let me think – let me think…"

At his words the white queen turned to face him.

"Yes…." Ron said softly, "It's the only way … I've got to be taken."

Hermione heart almost stopped cold at his words.

"NO!" She and Harry shouted.

"That's chess!" Ron said angrily. "You've got to make some sacrifices!" I take one step forward and she'll take me – that leaves you free to checkmate the King, Harry!"

"But…." Harry began

"Do you want to stop Snape of not?"

"Ron….." Hermione pleaded

"Look, if you don't hurry up, he'll already have the Stone!"

There was nothing more they could say so they both fell silent, but Hermione heart was beating to erratically she wanted to scream and tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. Ron was going to sacrifice himself, so they could carry on.

"Ready?" Ron called back to them, his face was deathly pale but his chin was raised and his jaw clenched. "Here I go – now don't hang around once you've won."

He took one step forward at the white queen leapt at him, striking him around his head with her stone arm. Hermione screamed in terror as Ron crashed to the ground, still as the chess pieces had been when they had first walked in. the queen then grabbed his arm tightly and dragged him across the board, leaving him motionless next to the other lost pieces. Harry walked three spaces to the left, pale as the King who stood before him, who took of his crown and threw it at Harry's feet. Hermione looked over at Ron, wanting to run over to see how badly injured he was but his words rang in her ears. 'don't hang around once you've won.' So she hurried out of the door with Harry.

"What if he's…?" Hermione trailed off, not wanting to finish her sentence.

"He'll be alright," Harry said, although he sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than anything. "What do you reckon is next?"

Hermione tried to push thoughts of Ron to one side, "We've had Sprouts, that was the Devil's Snare – Flitwick must've put a charm on the keys – McGonagall transfigured the chessmen to make them alive – that leave Quirrell's spell, and Snape's…."

She stopped talking as they reached another door.

"All right?" Harry whispered

She didn't feel it was alright, so she just whispered back, "Go on,"

Harry pushed open the door and a horrendous yet familiar smell reached Hermione's nose. In front of them they saw a Troll, unconscious with a huge, bloody lump on its head. They both pulled their robes up to their noses and stepped over the troll's legs.

"I'm glad we didn't have to fight that one. Come on, I can't breathe," Harry said as they walked across the room.

He pulled open the door and Hermione began to turn away, not wanting to look what horror could be in the next room. But all she saw out of the corner of her eye was a small table with seven differently sized bottles sitting on it.

"Snape's," muttered Harry. "What do we have to do?"

Together they stepped over the threshold, instantly a bright, purple fire sprang up in the doorway behind them. At exactly the same time, black flames shot up from the doorway opposite. Hermione cast her eyes back down to the table.

"Look!" She called, grabbing a roll of parchment that lay on the table. It read.

"_Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,_

_Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,_

_One among us seven will let you move ahead,_

_Another will transport the drinker back instead,_

_Two among our number hold only nettle wine,_

_Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line._

_Choose, unless you wish to stay here for evermore,_

_To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:_

_First, however slyly the poison tries to hide_

_You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;_

_Second, different are those who stand at either end,_

_But if you would move onwards neither is your friend;_

_Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,_

_Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;_

_Fourth, the second left and the second on the right_

_Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight._"

Hermione smiled as she finished reading and looked up at Harry.

"Brilliant," She said. "This isn't magic – it's logic – a puzzle. A lot of the greatest wizards in the world haven't got an ounce of logic, they'd be stuck in here for ever,"

"But so will we, won't we?" Harry asked, looking scared

Hermione almost snorted, "Of course not, everything we need is right here on the bit of paper. Seven bottles: three are poisons; two are wine; one will get us safely through the black fire and one will get us back through the purple,"

"How do we know which one to drink?" Harry asked, still not understanding the point of the puzzle.

"Give me a minute,"

Hermione re-read the scroll a few times, her mind already wiring, then she began to walk up and down the line, muttering to herself.

"Three poisons, two nettles. Poisons have to on the wines side….meaning one poison left over…. On either side they're different but they won't get you forward…..could be move back, a wine or the spare poison….dwarf is that one" Hermione pointed to the third from the left. "And giant is second from right….neither are poison…second right are the same…second right isn't poison and must have a match so must be wine…so third right is poison because it's on wine's left…..second left has to be wine as well…so poison is one the left end…..leaving third left, middle and right….left is different from right and won't move you forward so has to be move back and…. Dwarf can't hold death so it's move forwards!"

Hermione clapped her hands together in glee, "Got it" She told Harry, "The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire – towards the Stone,"

"There's only enough for one of us," Harry said, looking at the bottle. "That's hardly one swallow,"

Hermione looked up at Harry and saw the battle going on behind his eyes.

"Which one will get you back through the purple flames?"

Hermione pointed out the round bottle at the right end of the line.

"You drink that," Harry said, Hermione began to protest but Harry cut her off. "No listen – get back to Ron – grab brooms from the flying-key room, they'll get you out the trapdoor and past Fluffy – go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, we need him. I might be able to hold off Snape for a while, but I'm not match for him really,"

Hermione eyes widened at what Harry was preparing to do.

"But Harry what is You-Know-Who is with him?"

"Well – I was lucky once, wasn't i?" Said Harry, indicating to his scar, "I might get lucky again,"

Hermione felt her throat thicken and her lip tremble, Harry was preparing to die if he had to. Hermione rushed across the room and threw her arms around him, breathing in his now familiar scent to her. She had noticed that Harry always smelt very slightly of baking bread, it wasn't as strong as Ron's smell but whenever they had been under the invisibility cloak she could just smell it.

"_Hermione!_" Harry said, surprised

"Harry…." Hermione had no idea what to say to her best friend as he went off to face something to eleven year old should have to face. "…..you're a great wizard, you know,"

Hermione let go of him now and looked up into his now red face.

"Not as good as you," He muttered

"Me!" Hermione snorted, "Books! And Cleverness! There are more important things – friendship and bravery – oh Harry – be _careful!"_

"You drink first," said Harry, "You are sure which is which aren't you?"

"Positive," Said Hermione, although she was still nervous as she picked up the round bottle and took a long drink. The sensation was horrid, like ice filling her body, she shuddered.

"It's not poison?" Harry said worriedly

"No – but it tastes like ice,"

"Quick, go, before it wears off," Harry urged

Hermione took a long look into his face and said, "Good luck – take care….."

"GO!" Harry said commandingly

So Hermione turned around, took a deep breathe and walked into the purple flames.

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><p>! another cliffhanger, but, it is not just Jo's Birthday today, it is also our great and good wizard Harry. Therefore to celebrate this i will be doing a DOUBLE POST (cheer) It won't be up until quite late this evening (my time) so be patient. I hope you enjoyed this even though it just followed the book. Oh and the potion bit was 100% correct, i know it was very confusing as i wrote it as Hermione muttering but i promise you that is how to get to the solution. If anyone is interested i can give them a proper explanation in a PM, just ask. Please review to let me know you are reading and enjoying (if you are enjoying, if you're not them give me some constructive criticism) because in the words of beautiful Jo 'No story lives unless someone wants to listen.'<p>

Hannah x


	13. A Waiting Game

This Chapter is dedicated to Harry Potter on his 31st Birthday. Harry, you taught me what it means to be brave, you taught me that i can find family anywhere as long as there is love, you taught me that i have to let my friends help me deal with grief, you taught me to never give up fighting and you taught me that wherever i may come from or whatever's in my past, i can still find a happy ending. You are a brave, good hearted person who was willing to sacrifice himself for others. Thank you and Happy Birthday my good friend, Harry.

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><p>Chapter thirteen – A Waiting Game<p>

She could see the flames licking at her body but they had no effect on her, she couldn't even feel them. As soon as she was through she broke into a run, she had to get a message to Dumbledore, there was no way she letting Harry face You-Know-Who or even Snape on his own, he would need help. She was also worried about Ron, how badly injured was he? She had to find out. She leaped across the troll's legs and ran through the passageway leading to the chess room.

"Ron?" She called as she burst through the door.

Her head whipped round to the place she knew Ron lay and she hurried over. He had not moved in the time they had gone. Hermione felt a chill spread over her that had nothing to do with the potion. She knelt down next to him and grabbed his limp arm.

"Ron?" She said, as loudly as she dared. "Ron it's me, please…..Ron….."

There was a slight murmur and Ron's arm shifted a little

"Ron! Oh Ron please wake up, Ron, Ron…"

"-arry…." Ron mumbled

"No Ron, it's Hermione, Harry's gone after Snape, we have to get help,"

"Er-my-knee…" Ron croaked, eyelids fluttering

"Yes! Yes Ron it's me, please just wake up, you were so brave, but please, please wake up," Hermione pleaded

At her words Ron's blinks became more purposeful until finally his eyes opened slightly.

"Oh Ron," Hermione sighed, bending her head down over his arm in relief.

"What happened?" He asked hoarsely

"We won the game and then we got to Snape's part straight away as Quirrell's was already done for us. There were these potions and a riddle and we had to find a potion to move us forwards and there was only enough in it for one so…..so…Harry went alone," Hermione half sobbed.

"But then…but what if You-Know-Who is…" Ron seemed to be struggling to form proper sentences and his eyes kept drooping.

"I know, I know, that's why we have to get Dumbledore, Harry said to go to the owlery and send a message with Hedwig,"

"But that – that could take ages," Ron said, shock clearly in his voice.

"I know, but all Harry said was he'd stopped You-Know-Who once and he'll hopefully get lucky again,"

Ron visibly gulped.

"Then lets go," He said, but before he could get any further than crouching he had fallen back down, groaning.

"Ron?" Hermione asked anxiously

Ron shook his head, looking extremely pale and clammy. Hermione stood up and offered both her hands. Ron slowly took them and shakily got up. However as soon as he let go of Hermione he began to wobble precariously and ending up sagging against Hermione, gulping for air.

"Ron?" Hermione asked again.

"Give me…a…minute," He panted

Hermione waited, holding Ron's back so he didn't fall whilst his breathing returned to normal.

"Ok," He said, leaning away from Hermione

He stood for a moment, quite normally, before swaying again, Hermione immediately lifted up one of his arms and draped it round her own shoulders. Hermione could now smell his smoky, earthy scent as he closed his eyes, obviously very dizzy.

"Ron we can wait a little while….."

"NO!" Ron cut across her loudly, "Harry's in danger, we have to…..get…help."

So, extremely slowly they began to walk, Hermione carrying a lot of Ron's weight, which was difficult as Ron was a lot taller than she was. It took minuets just to reach the door to the flying-key room. Hermione reached out and turned the handle, finding that it opened in this direction without the need for a key. Slowly they stepped over the threshold, above them the keys tumbled around, the broomsticks lay on the floor where they had left them.

"We need to take these to get past Fluffy," Hermione said, indicating to the brooms.

Ron nodded although he looked in no fit state to fly. Hermione grabbed two from the floor and they carried on out of the room and down the passageway. The walk seemed to take an eternity but Ron seemed to be getting a little stronger as they went. Finally they arrived at the corner of the room covered in Devil's Snare. They both turned their heads up to look at the postage stamp sized square of light ahead of them.

"So if we fly quickly enough, Fluffy won't be able to get us," Ron said, ducking out from underneath Hermione's arm and managing to stand upright.

"Are you going to be able to do this?" Hermione asked anxiously

For a moment Ron looked as if he were just going to tell her yes, but instead he looked her in the eye and said, "I'm going to have to aren't I,"

He took a broomstick from Hermione hand and climbed on top of it, Hermione did the same with hers.

"Ready?" he asked.

Hermione nodded, feeling sick at the thought of flying vertically upwards for so long, into a room were a giant three-headed dog could then try to eat them. Nevertheless Hermione kicked off immediately after Ron and turned her broom upwards to face the square of light. The cold, damp air rushed over her again as the light got bigger and bigger, then Ron disappeared through it, closely followed by Hermione. They both flew upwards to the top of the room and then flew towards the door. Both of them leaped off their brooms just before they crashed and quickly opened the door, ran through it and slammed it shut behind them. They both leaned back against the wood, Fluffy's barks echoing in their ears. After a few seconds Hermione leaned away from the door. Ron followed suit and together they raced along corridors and down stairs. To get the owlery from where they were they had to go to the entrance hall and up the main staircase. It seemed to take forever to find their way down and Hermione worried that they may have got lost, finally they burst through a tapestry into the entrance hall.

"Albus I don't understand what do you mean…." It was Professor McGonagall hurrying alongside Dumbledore, but he cut off her sentence when he spotted Ron and Hermione.

"Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?" he asked them, Hermione nodded and Dumbledore sprinted off up the main staircase.

Hermione was quite surprised a man of Dumbledore's age could run that fast. She didn't have long to contemplate this as Ron had let out a load groan and sunk to the floor, his face back to clammy white.

"Oh Ron," Hermione muttered, kneeling down next to him. He must have used what little strength he had regained, running through the corridors.

"So it's true," Professor McGonagall said, a look of utter shock on her face, "The stone was being stolen, and you three went to get it first,"

Hermione nodded sadly and gripped Ron's arm again, trying to keep him conscious

"Well….well…how did you get past everything, and what's wrong with you Mr Weasley," Professor McGonagall seemed to be at a loss for words.

"Ron sacrificed himself, on the chessboard, so Harry and I could move forwards," Hermione explained.

"You got past the chessboard?" Professor McGonagall asked, sounding stunned.

"Yes, Ron played the game, but he…he…..let himself get taken so we could carry on…he was knocked out….and now Harry's gone on his own…" Hermione found she couldn't speak any more as tears had begun to flow out of her eyes.

"Alright Miss Granger," Said Professor McGonagall, gripping Hermione's shoulder, "Lets go to the hospital wing, shall we."

Hermione nodded and to her surprise Professor McGonagall joined her in putting one of Ron's arms around their shoulders and walking slowly up the stairs to the hospital wing on the first floor.

It took a long time but finally they arrived, as they walked through the door Madam Pomfrey let out a gasp.

"Minerva…what…?"

"Concussion, badly." Professor McGonagall said quickly

Madam Promfrey looked stunned for a minute but then hurried off to a cupboard at the end of the wing, whilst she was doing this Hermione and Professor McGonagall placed Ron as carefully as they could on the nearest bed, he groaned again and lay back against the pillows, his long legs still dangling off the bed.

"Goodness gracious," Madam Pomfrey muttered as she returned

Hermione watched as she quickly grabbed Ron's legs and swung them onto the bed, before measuring out half a cup full of a dark purple potion.

"Drink this Mr Weasley," She said, holding it to his lips.

Ron obediently gulped down the potion, Hermione watched with bated breath as Ron lay back against the pillows, as she watched she saw colour return slowly to his cheeks and his eyes widened until they were open a normal amount. Finally he turned his head to look at her.

"What….?"

"Dumbledore's gone after him," Hermione said quietly, sinking into the chair next to the bed.

Ron nodded and leant back again. Professor McGonagall looked as if she were about to speak when the door of the hospital wing burst open. It was Snape, Hermione swore her heart stopped beating.

"I've just run into Dumbledore, he said….."

But before Snape could finish, he was cut off by Ron.

"YOU, what have you done with him, what have you done to Harry, have you managed to get the Stone you bloody old…"

"Mr Weasley!" Professor McGonagall called reproachfully over Ron's yells. "What the devil are you talking about,"

"It was him Professor, he was the one stealing the Stone, he was the one we were chasing tonight," Ron said wildly

There was utter silence around them, Hermione was shaking with fury where she sat and wanted nothing better than to pull out her wand and hex Snape where he stood.

"You though that eye was trying to steal the Stone?" Said Snape, coldly

"We know it was you, you got bitten trying to get past Fluffy at Halloween and then you've been threatening Quirrell to tell you how to get past his spells and then you bribed Hagrid to tell you how to get past Fluffy!" Ron yelled.

There was another long silence.

"That doesn't make sense," Hermione whispered, everyone turned to look at her. "Quirrell's task was a troll, it wasn't a spell, which means….." Hermione trailed off, completely confused.

"Professor McGonagall," Said Snape, still glaring at Ron. "Would you care to explain what is going on,"

Professor McGonagall nodded and turned to Ron and Hermione.

"I don't know where, you got the idea that Professor Snape was trying to steal the stone but it was not him, it is Professor Quirrel,"

"But then…." Hermione trailed off again, whilst her brain processed the information, beside her Ron was shaking his head.

"On Halloween you were trying to stop Professor Quirrell, and then….when you said 'where your loyalties lie', you were trying to convince him not to steal the stone…but the Quidditch match, you were trying to throw Harry off his broom!" Hermione said, staring at Snape.

"I'm not sure where you have heard certain things Miss Granger but I'm guessing you two and Potter have been eavesdropping in some way. However at the Quidditch match, I was performing a counter curse to Quirrell's jinx." Snape said, looking down his hooked nose at her

"But how did…I knocked into Professor Quirrell I-," Hermione stopped herself, she had almost just admitted to setting Snape's cloak alight.

Snape narrowed his eyes and Hermione could tell he had worked out it was her. To her surprise he said nothing.

"Professor McGonagall could you please explain to me what has been happening tonight, did Potter go after the Stone?" Snape asked, no hint of emotion in his voice.

"Yes, but after that I do not know, I think it's time that you two told us what has been going on," Professor McGonagall said, turning to look down at Ron and Hermione.

Hermione glanced at Ron, who still looked ill but a lot healthier than he had half an hour ago. He nodded and Hermione launched into the story.

"Well, once we found out that Professor Dumbledore had left the school we knew the Stone was going to be stolen tonight, so once everyone had left the common room we went to the third floor corridor. Harry had brought a flute and we used that to send Fluffy to sleep so we could get through the trap-door. Then the boys got caught in the Devil's Snare but I managed to free myself and I lit a fire so that it would let go of them, which it did. Then we got to the flying-key room and…"

"Well this at least I can see how you got past with Potter's seeker skills," Interrupted Professor McGonagall.

"Yes that's right, Harry managed to catch the key, and then we got to the chessboard."

Hermione stopped and looked up at Professor McGonagall.

"Yes, I don't quite understand how you got past a task I created for skilled wizards," She said, narrowing her eyes.

"That was me," Ron said, sitting up a bit. "Harry took the place of one of the Bishops, Hermione was a castle and I took a knight. Then I just directed the game, I wasn't too difficult. But I realised that to win the game my piece had to be taken so," Ron shrugged, "I let the queen take me and Harry checkmated the King,"

Professor McGonagall had her mouth slightly open and she looked as if she may cry.

"Mr Weasley that was….well that was very brave," She said quietly.

Ron gave a small smile and then turned to Hermione,

"Over to you," He said.

Hermione took a deep breathe, "Well we left Ron there and next was the Ron there so next was the room with the troll in, but that had already been knocked out and in the next room was…"

"My task," Said Snape

Hermione nodded, "Well I solved the puzzle but there was only enough of the move forward potion for one so, Harry went and I came back to fetch Professor Dumbledore,"

"And you solved the puzzle which I had created, a puzzle which was meant to be extremely difficult?" said Snape, sneering slightly.

"Yes, I've always been good at logic," Hermione said quietly.

Snape's lip curled but he said nothing more.

"So Potter went to face Quirrell, on his own?" Professor McGonagall asked in a hushed voice.

Hermione and Ron nodded. Professor McGonagall closed her eyes for a moment, before snapping them open and turning to Snape.

"Severus, please go and inform Professors Flitwick and Sprout about what has happened tonight," She said.

Snape stood for a moment, then gave a curt nod and swept out of the room.

"Now, if you are recovered Mr Weasley you and Miss Granger can return…"

"NO!" Hermione said loudly, "We have to wait for Harry; we have to see if he's alright,"

Beside her Ron nodded. Professor McGonagall looked for a moment as if she may protest, but instead she nodded and sat down in a chair of her own and waited. No one spoke as they all sat almost completely still, occasionally glancing at the clock on the wall. A thousand worries ran through Hermione's head, what if You-Know-Who had been there? What if Quirrell had already got the stone? What if Harry was…..? She pushed the last one from her mind, Harry would be fine. Hermione knew she didn't believe this at all.

Finally the doors to the hospital wing burst open again and Dumbledore hurried in, carrying a limp Harry in his arms. Hermione let out a strangled yell of a noise and watched as Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall rushed over. She could see from where she was the look on Dumbledore's face and it gave her no hope, he looked terrified as he watched Harry. She strained her ears to catch a few words of what he said.

"Only just arrived in time, he was obviously in so much pain….."

"Is he going to be alright?" Professor McGonagall asked quietly

"I really don't know," Dumbledore said, sounding close to tears.

Hermione heard a sharp in-draw of breathe and turned to see it was Ron, who had lost some of his colour again and looked extremely sick. Hermione gripped his arm as her throat began to close up. Harry had to be alright, he just had to be. As she watched the curtains were drawn around Harry's bed so she could no longer see him. A single tear escaped Hermione's eye and fell into her lap. Professor McGonagall turned to face them.

"I suggest you two go back to the common room," She said quietly.

"But….." Ron began to protest.

"There is nothing you can do here Mr Weasley, I promise to inform you with any news, but I think it would be best,"

Hermione could see no point in arguing to got up from her chair, beside her Ron also stood up, together they slowly made there way to the door.

"You've both been incredibly brave tonight," Said Professor McGonagall as they reached the door, Hermione and Ron turned around, "I'm very proud to have you in Gryffindor house,"

Hermione tried to smile but couldn't muster one so instead nodded her head and turned to go again. She and Ron walked in silence to the common room, outside Hermione could see the sky was beginning to get light, soon the whole school would be awake. They finally arrived at the portrait hole. They said the password and Hermione climbed through first, but as she stepped down her foot caught on something and she almost fell over. Confused she looked down and saw what she had tripped on.

"Neville!" Hermione said shocked, in all the worry she had completely forgotten about him. Quickly she knelt down next to him and performed the counter curse. Neville had obviously been dozing but he woke up when his limbs sprang apart.

"What's going on," he yelped, looking around, "Hermione, Ron," He said, spotting them.

"Oh Neville I'm so sorry for what I did, I really didn't want to but….." Hermione could think of no way to finish.

"What happened, where did you go?" Neville asked, to Hermione's surprise he did not sound angry.

Hermione hesitated, she wasn't sure she should tell Neville the whole story.

"Do you mind if we tell you in the morning mate," Ron said.

Neville looked as though he may argue but then he began to inspect them closely, noticing there ripped clothing and dishevelled hair and faces. Finally he nodded.

"Alright,"

And with that he got up and walked upstairs to his dormitory, not glancing back. Ron and Hermione both walked to armchairs in front of the now dead fire and sat down, utterly exhausted but not daring to go to sleep.

"You were really brave down there tonight Ron," Hermione said quietly

Ron looked a little sheepish. "Thanks, and you were really good too, figuring out that puzzle thing or whatever you said it was,"

"Thank you,"

After this they both sat in silence, staring off at distant points, lost in thought. After a couple of hours the first people began to emerge from the dormitories. As today was a Saturday people came down much later than normal. Most people gave them odd looks as to why they were sitting in the same places they had been last night, looking dirty and dishevelled, but Ron and Hermione paid them no mind. Finally as less and less people began to descend, Professor McGonagall walked through the portrait hole. She came and stood in front of where Ron and Hermione sat.

"He's going to be alright," She said softly.

Hermione breathed out a breath she hadn't even realised she was holding.

"Can we go and see him?" Ron asked eagerly.

"No, he's still asleep, and I suggest that you two should try to do the same,"

Ron and Hermione did not argue, they thanked Professor McGonagall and each walked up to their own dormitories where Hermione fell asleep before her head had even hit the pillow.

OOO

When Ron and Hermione walked into the Great Hall that lunchtime everyone seemed to turn to look at them and an outbreak of whispering occurred. They had both woken half an hour before, quickly washed and hurried down to the Great Hall as they were very hungry. Nervously they walked along the table and sat down next to Neville.

"Is it true what everyone's been saying? That you went and saved some Stone that Professor Quirrell was trying to steal and that Harry's in the hospital wing?"

"How did you find out?" Hermione asked.

"Everyone's been talking about it, I dunno how people new but….." Neville shrugged, "so it's true then?"

"Uh, that's the jist of it, yeah," Ron said, pulling every dish in reach toward him.

Neville and many others tried to bombard them with questions whilst they ate but Professor McGonagall swooped down.

"If you have finished eating I suggest you leave and stop disturbing other people," She snapped.

People got up to go and Hermione asked hopefully.

"Is he…?"

But Professor McGonagall shook her head.

"I'm afraid not,"

OOO

The next few days were torture for Ron and Hermione, term was coming to an end and everyone was in high spirits. Everyone except Ron and Hermione, Harry had still not woken up and Hermione was getting more and more worried. Another problem was everyone constantly trying to ask them what had happened, Ron and Hermione weren't sure what they were meant to tell and what they weren't so mostly gave sketchy details. They didn't know themselves what had happened once Hermione had left Harry anyway. A small plus side was that everyone was now speaking to Hermione again. The girls in the dormitory had all come up to Hermione at dinner time and said they were very sorry for not speaking to her and they hoped she would forgive them. Hermione said she would, although she was rather reluctant. Finally as they walked into Lunch on the third day of Harry being in the hospital, Professor McGonagall approached them.

"Potter was woken up, Professor Dumbledore is with him now but you may be able to go see him after dinner depending on what Madam Pomfrey has to say,"

Ron let out a bark of laughter and covered his face with his hands whilst Hermione smiled and breathed a sigh of relief. Harry was going to be absolutely fine.

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><p>Hello again, how are we all? Stressed about Pottermore? i know i am. So i have been looking forward to writing this chapter for a good month and now here it is! Hope you enjoyed it.<p>

I need to apologize for a huge mistake in Chapter 11. Ron's Birthday is on March the 1st. It's the twins who are on April 1st, i got confused. I have decided not to change it because that would involve me changing the chapter before that as well. Please forgive me, i'm incredibly sorry and it won't happen again.

Thank you for reading and please review, it means so much.

Hannah x


	14. Goodbyes

This (very short) chapter is dedicated to Pottermore. Pottermore although you didn't let me enter for the first two days which made me want to throw something at my computer today you let me become magical and actually emailed me my verification. Thank you for a stressful yet fun 3 days.

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><p>Chapter Fourteen – Goodbye<p>

"You've had nearly fifteen minutes, now OUT," Madam Pomfrey said sternly to Ron and Hermione.

They both sighed and got up to leave.

"See you soon Harry," Said Hermione, raising her hand.

"Yeah, see you mate," Ron said.

Harry said goodbye and Ron and Hermione left. Once out they headed back to the Gryffindor common room.

"Can you believe what Harry did?" Hermione asked Ron quietly.

Ron shook his head. "No, he actually saw You-Know-Who, and stood up to him! He saved the stone!"

Hermione nodded and they both lapsed into silence, lost in thought. When they reached the common room, Neville approached them.

"How is he?" he asked eagerly.

"Fine, he looks tired but well," Hermione answered.

Neville nodded and hurried off to relay the news back to Dean and Seamus. Hermione felt a little lost, she had spent the last few weeks solidly worrying about exams, the Stone and then Harry. Now there was nothing left to worry about, she was free.

"Game of chess?" Ron asked, smiling slightly.

Hermione laughed. "Thought you'd never want to play again!"

"Nah, just an incentive to play more, getting knocked out by a live chess piece,"

OOO

A sudden hush fell over the green and silver decked hall, then there was an explosion of chatter. Hermione looked around to see Harry walking into the Great Hall, looking nervous but well. Ron and Hermione both moved over slightly so Harry could slip in between them. He looked sheepish as people stared at him but fortunately Dumbledore arrived and the whole hall fell silent.

"Another year gone!" He said, beaming at them all. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were … you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts …

Now as I understand it, the House Cup here need awarding and the points stand thus: in fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third place, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw have four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two."

A loud chorus of cheering exploded from the Slytherin table.

"Yes, yes, well done, Slytherin," Continued Dumbledore. "However recent events must be taken into account,"

Hermione narrowed her eyes, she couldn't let herself get her hopes up. The room had gone very quiet.

"Ahem, I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes…..First – to Mr Ronald Weasley….."

Hermione watched as Ron bypassed red and hit purple.

"…..for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has ever seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Gryffindor cheered loudly enough to make the hats on their heads wobble. The twins, Fred and George sat with open mouths, clapping dumble and looking at Ron in astonishment whilst Percy could be hear yelling 'My brother you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall's giant chess set!'

The room slowly silenced again.

"Second – to Miss Hermione Granger….."

Hermione heart literally stopped beating and her mouth opened in shock. The headmaster was awarding her individual house points in front of the whole school!

"….for cool use of logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Hermione's heart slammed into the front of her chest and, without warning tears spilt over her eyes. She buried her face in her arms and let out a half-laugh half-sob in happiness. All the Gryffindors had begun to cheer loudly again, for her. Hermione couldn't quite get her head around it. A whole table of people were cheering in thanks.

"Third – to Mr Harry Potter …. For pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."

Hermione raised her head, mouth open in shock. They were tied with Slytherin! She hurriedly wiped any remaining tears away and patted Harry on the back, cheering with the rest. The noise was tremendous and in the end Dumbledore raised his hand for silence.

"There are all kinds of courage," Dumbledore said, a small smile on his face. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr Neville Longbottom."

Hermione had never heard noise like it. Hermione jumped up in her seat with Harry and Ron as the Gryffindor table erupted with noise. Neville had disappeared under a large pile of people pulling him in for a hug. Hermione smiled broadly, Neville had never won a house point in his life and now he had won Gryffindor the house cup. Hermione had know idea how Dumbledore knew about what happened to Neville and she didn't care. They had won, the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were cheering the downfall of Slytherin as well and Hermione laughed as the noise seemed to reverberate around her head.

"Which means we need a little change in decoration." Said Dumbledore, smiling.

He clapped his hands and the green and silver hangings were replaced with the red and gold of Gryffindor. Snape was shaking Professor McGonagall's hand with a forced smile and the other teachers were clapping and cheering along with the rest. It was a beautiful night that Hermione didn't think she would ever forget.

OOO

Hermione snatched the envelope from Professor McGonagall's hands and immediately slit in open. She pulled out the piece of parchment within and a smile spread across her face. She had done well in everything, there wasn't a single poor mark in sight and in a lot of tests she had received full marks. She swapped with Harry and Ron quickly who rolled their eyes when they saw her paper. Harry and Ron had both passed with good marks and they were obviously both very pleased. When Professor McGonagall had given out all the envelopes she came back to Hermione.

"I thought I would let you know," She said crisply. "That overall you received the highest marks in the year, well done," She gave Hermione a swift smile and walked away.

Hermione's smile widened and she actually let out a small squeal. The end of the year could get no better.

But then it was over. Trunks were packed, pets were found, notes saying not to use magic over the summer were handed out to every student under seventeen and they were all watching the countryside fly past the window as the Hogwarts express whisked them home. All too soon the train had arrived and in twos and threes they were allowed through the ticket barrier.

"Remember to write to me first because I don't have an owl," Hermione said smiling.

The boys grinned and nodded. "You must come and stay this summer," Said Ron. "Both of you – I'll send you an owl."

"Thanks," Harry said. "I'll need something to look forward to."

As they moved closer to the barrier people called out to Harry.

"Bye, Harry!"

"See you, Potter!"

"Still famous," Ron said, smiling.

"Not where I'm going, I promise you," Harry said.

Together the three of them stepped through the barrier. A squeal met their ears.

"There he is, Mum, there he is, look!"

A small ginger haired girl stood with red haired woman who could only be Ron's mother. The girl wasn't pointing at Ron though, she was pointing at Harry.

"Harry Potter! Look, Mum I can see…."

"Be quiet Ginny, and it's rude to point."

Mrs Weasley turned to the three of them but her words were drowned out by a someone speaking from directly behind her.

"Good to see you, Shakes,"

Hermione turned.

"Dad!" She yelled, running the few paces in between them and throwing her arms around his neck, "Mum!"

Mrs Granger had been standing just behind Hermione's father.

"Oh finish off with your friends dear, is it Harry, he looks like he's about to leave."

Hermione turned back around to see that an extremely large man with a purple face and thick moustache and a bony woman with a slightly horse shaped face were standing near to the Weasley's and Harry. Hermione walked back over.

"…..Hurry up boy we haven't got all day." Said the man, walking away.

Hermione's mouth opened slightly and she watched the man who must be Harry's uncle Vernon. Harry was watching her and Ron.

"Hope you have – er – a good holiday," Said Hermione faintly, she couldn't believe how rude Harry's uncle had just been.

"Oh, I will," Hermione was shocked to see Harry was grinning. "_They _don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer…." Harry gave them one last grin and turned to go.

"Bye mate," Ron called.

Harry raised a hand and waved at them before hurrying up to his aunt and uncle.

"Well I…how rude!" It was Mrs Weasley, her eyes narrowed as she watched Harry's family disappear around the corner. "He'll have to come over this summer…..Oh and you must be Hermione dear," She said, turning to Hermione and smiling.

"Yes, it's nice to meet you Mrs Weasley,"

"And you dear and you, and these must be your parents,"

Hermione turned around to see her parents had wandered over. They both extended their hands to Mrs Weasley.

"And you must be Ron," Said Hermione's father, turning to face Ron who still stood beside Hermione. Ron visible gulped but shook her fathers hand.

"Good to meet you Sir," He said quietly. Hermione almost laughed at his nervousness.

"I've heard you can play a good game of chess," Her father said, his voice deep.

Ron glanced at Hermione looking lost. Hermione rolled her eyes at him.

"Yes Sir," He said.

"Dad plays chess to Ron, that's why he's interested." Hermione said, deciding to help Ron out. Ron nodded.

"Ah here they are, where have you been. Boys this is Mr and Mrs Granger," Said Mrs Weasley, pulling Fred, George and Percy simultaneously out the crowds. Hermione wasn't quite sure how she'd done it.

Fred and George nodded their heads and smiled but Percy held out his hand forcefully.

"Good to meet you, Hermione's done very well this year at school. Earned Gryffindor a lot of points. I'm a prefect you see."

"Oh are you Perce?" Said George, raising his eyebrows.

"You've kept that quiet for a whole year, why didn't you tell someone," Fred mocked.

"Oh for goodness sake boys, your making the same jokes you were when I said goodbye to you in September, I would have thought you had grown up a bit," Mrs Weasley said sternly.

Ron laughed and even Hermione couldn't suppress a giggle. Mr and Mrs Granger looked a little baffled.

"Well it was lovely meeting you all," Said her mother smiling. Her father nodded in agreement.

"And you, I hope to see more of you," Mrs Weasley said.

Hermione realised she had to say goodbye.

"Well I'll see you soon," She said turning to Ron.

Ron nodded, "Yeah I'll send you an owl,"

Hermione smiled and looked down at Ginny who had been looking at her curiously for a while. When Hermione caught her eye she gave quick smile and raised her eyebrows ever so slightly. Hermione smiled back before turning back to Ron.

"Goodbye then," She said.

"Bye Hermione,"

Hermione waved one last time at the Weasleys before walking out of the station with her parents.

* * *

><p>Oh woe, it's the end. no it's not don't worry, we have second year now (yay). No can i ask you all a favour, this is mostly to people who's story alerts or favourites that i'm on who haven't given me a review. Can i ask you pretty please to give me one now as all of your ideas, criticisms and general thoughts will shape the future chapters. Seriously if you have any ideas i may like or just something you want to see improve please leave a review or PM me so that the next section can be even better. I would also appreciate my regular reviewers to give me a bit more advice because you're all fabulous and have brilliant tips and ideas.<p>

Now, no one worry but i'm going on holiday for two weeks. Which means because i eschew all technology when i go on holiday there will be no updates for two and a half weeks. But there is a bright side. I will still be writing on holiday, just with good old fashioned pen and paper, so this means that when i return there will be one mega update! Woo. it will be of both Hermione's Story and other one-shots i'm writing so watch this space.

I love you all and please review

Hannah

p.s pottermore name swaps? i'm SeerEcho85, please to meet you x


	15. Important

EXTREMLY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

I have decided to split Hermione's story into 8 separate stories. Simply because it is going to be a lot longer than I first anticipated and some people may only want to read certain books from H's view. (I hope this isn't the decision of any of my regular reviewers but if it is I understand) Therefore, the chapter that you may or may not have read called 'Dear Summer' has now been moved to the second story (which I haven't decided a name of yet, so you'll have to go to my profile to see) I hope this decision benefits you and sorry that I had to explain it in a separate chapter but I didn't want any of you to miss it. Please if you have enjoyed this story would you move over to the second one as I don't want to lose any of you, please don't abandon Hermione here, she loves you all just like I do.

Hannah x


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Harry Potter, Adventure, Romance